Jakarta, Aug. 13 -- Indonesian government is encouraging cooperatives to get involved in environmental conservation, including carbon trading, through an agreement signed by the Environment Ministry and Cooperatives Ministry.

Cooperatives Minister Ferry Juliantono said the Environment Ministry had encouraged cooperatives to explore carbon trading as a new business opportunity.

"The environment minister has also encouraged us to get involved in carbon trading, which could become a new business opportunity for cooperatives in Indonesia," Minister Ferry said at his office in Jakarta on Thursday.

The recent inauguration of a crude palm oil (CPO) processing plant owned by KUD Sejahtera, a village unit cooperative, was among the factors prom...