Seminar on cooperatives

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Forestry and Plantations in cooperation with the Forestry Journalists Group, the Association of Indonesian Forest Concessionaires (APHI) and the Association of Indonesian Wood Panel Producers (Apkindo) is to hold a one-day seminar on empowering the role of cooperatives in the forestry businesses.

Minister of Forestry and Plantations Muslimin Nasution said that the seminar is expected to be a forum for government officials, forestry experts, businesspeople and environmentalists to discuss the benefits and impact of the government's plan to distribute the country's forest assets to cooperatives.

APHI's chairman Adi Warsita Adinegoro said that the concessionaires were currently waiting for government regulations obliging timber companies to give some of their shares to cooperatives.

"We hope that the minister and his officials will explain further their plan on forest redistribution to give more certainty in the forestry business," he said.

Around 250 participants from government officials, experts, businesspeople and environmentalists will attend the seminar, which will be held in Manggala Wanabakti Building on Nov. 3, 1998. (gis)