KBRN, Banten: The reintroduction of dedicated freight cars, dubbed the "farmer and trader train", by State-owned Railways Company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) in Banten has been met with significant enthusiasm from agricultural producers in Lebak Regency, Banten Province.

Farmers anticipate that this new logistical support will directly impact their profitability and boost production efforts. Taking a different angle, this move is hailed by local farming groups primarily as a crucial cost-saving measure that will unlock access to lucrative markets.

Ruhiana, Chairperson of the Sukabungah Farmers' Group Association (Gapoktan) in Tambakbaya Village, Lebak Regency, expressed optimism on Tuesday, October 4, 2025.

"We are convinced that with the operation of this farmer's train, farmers will definitely be more motivated to produce food and can market it further outside the region," he said in Lebak, Banten, as quoted from antaranews.com.

He noted that previously, marketing their produce outside the region required farmers to incur substantial costs by relying on large transport, such as trucks or open-bed vehicles.

Consequently, the dedicated train cars designed specifically to transport agricultural products are expected to significantly reduce the financial burden on farmers looking to market their goods to key hubs like Serang, Cilegon, Merak, Kebayoran, Palmerah, and Tanah Abang.

Ruhiana mentioned that his group currently has 150 members producing rice, secondary crops, and horticulture products.

"Operating these farmer train cars makes it much easier to market products outside the region and allows us to reap greater profits," added Ruhiana.

Samun (60), a farmer from Rangkasbitung, Lebak, echoed the sentiment, confirming that the train's operation aids farmers in marketing their produce elsewhere. He currently supplies bananas, coconuts, and various vegetables to Jakarta using open-bed trucks, but his profits are relatively small after covering transport costs.

"We are happy that PT KAI is operating these special agricultural carriages again, just like before in the 1990s, when farmers used the train to market their products to Jakarta," he said.

Anne Purba, Vice President of Public Relations for PT KAI, previously announced the farmer and trader train would initially operate on the Merak–Rangkasbitung route in Banten. The service aims to support food security, economic equity, and increase national real-sector productivity.

"The initial phase of operating the farmer and trader train will be implemented in the Banten region as a form of support for the government's Astacita program in strengthening food security and economic equity," said Anne.