Maseru, Mar. 14 — The Portfolio Committee on the Economic and Development Cluster has on Friday agreed to withdraw the amendment of 5.23 of the report on the annual budget and estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 2025/26 with the purpose of further analysis.
The amendment provides that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition should create an enabling environment to allow the private sector to establish an agricultural cooperative which shall buy and supply agricultural inputs and machinery to the farmers. These products should be subsidised by the government.
The Economic and Development Cluster Chairperson Mr. Sello Hakane said the committee has agreed to withdraw the amendment on condition that it would be brought back before the House in two to three weeks’ time as the special report of the committee.
The amendment was withdrawn after debates in the House whereby the Leader of Basotho National Party Mr. Machesetsa Mofomobe stated that the government should create an enabling environment for the private sector, asking whether this would not mean creation of other cooperatives in the country. . .
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