Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC) acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Theko Bereng and the Minister of Trade and Industry Dr. Thabiso Molapo visited the fresh
produce market centre, situated at Ha-Tikoe Industrial Estate, which will soon be re-launched. In its 2018-2023 strategic plan LNDC had identified the development of national fresh produce market
infrastructure as a key strategic intervention required to increase the fresh produce value chain in Lesotho When addressing the media at the market centre on Friday, Molapo said the visit was to observe the
progress on the construction of the centre. He said they are satisfied and have seen that there are only a few things remaining, he speculated that by early
May, the place will be open and all Basotho farmers are invited to send their produce. Molapo said the government invites Basotho to engage in all forms of
cultivation even though these markets are currently opened for fruits and vegetables. He extended that the other aim of the market is to support Basotho businesses and prohibit importation of vegetables,
the move which he said will open a room for job creation. Molapo indicated that the project was launched in 2018, saying this is why they have to push hard to
make sure that it opens as soon as possible. Bereng said the market intends to create and facilitate improved production of fruits and vegetables by local producers, by creating a market platform for sale and distribution of
their produce. He said as stakeholders, they also want to reduce Lesotho’s dependency on imported horticulture products while also improving local food
security and reducing the outflow of funds from Lesotho to South Africa, which negatively impacts the balance of trade. He added that the market centre
intends to create jobs and reduce poverty by encouraging increased primary production to be traded in the market centre. Bereng indicated that the market
agents have been selected to register farmers who have produced in large scale across the 10 districts. “The market will assist farmers who produce vegetables
with storage facilities where supermarkets will find them in large quantities. This place has refrigerators, a storages space that will help keep the vegetables fresh and in acceptable market standards,” he said.
In an interview with Informative NewspaperFresh Produce Market Agent Topela Libenyane said the market centre will work as a link between local fresh farm producers and the market.
He said a farmer will be paid according to the total amount of sales and the prices will fluctuate depending on the product value each day. He added that as winter is approaching, products
that will be accommodated in the market will be announced to farmers. Libenyane revealed that there are 16 of them (fresh Produce Market agents) to carry out the job and each will earn through commission.
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