President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Agricultural Cooperatives Bill into Law on November 8. The Legislative Chamber passed the Bill Law on September 17, and the Senate approved it on September 30. It will take effect in three months - on February 12, 2025.
The Law, which replaces the Law on agricooperatives (shirkat) of 1998, regulates relations on the creation of agricultural cooperatives, admission to membership in the cooperative, its control, external audit, management, reorganization and liquidation, as well as relations between the state and cooperatives.
The document defines that an agricultural cooperative is an independent commercial organization based on share principles, a voluntary association of individuals and (or) legal entities for the implementation of agricultural activities. The cooperative must undergo state registration as a legal entity.
The main goal of such cooperatives is to pool resources and efforts to improve production efficiency, reduce costs and increase the income of cooperative members.
Key decisions shall be made at the constituent meeting: approval of the charter, official creation of the cooperative and admission of participants to its ranks. For individuals, full names and addresses are indicated, and for legal entities - documents confirming the authority of their representatives.
Members of the cooperative may be individuals aged 16 years and over, as well as legal entities that meet the requirements of the cooperative charter. A member of this organization may be a member of one or more cooperatives, unless the cooperative charter prohibits such a thing.
Individuals and companies that are not related to the cooperative may join this organization as an investor.
The Law has outlined the specific tasks, powers, rights and obligations of the governing bodies of the agricultural cooperative, including the general meeting, board and supervisory board of the cooperative.
The document also reflects the rules related to joining and leaving the agricultural cooperative, the rights and obligations of cooperative members, maintaining their records, and paying share contributions.
In addition to providing services in the field of agriculture, the cooperative has the right to grow, store, process and sell agricultural products, conduct foreign economic activity, and also engage in other types of activities not prohibited by Law.
As a result, the chapter devoted to the creation of associations was omitted and replaced by one article 54. According to it, cooperatives can unite in associations of cooperatives to express and protect common interests. The procedure for the creation, operation, reorganization and liquidation of associations of cooperatives is regulated by the Law "On non-governmental non-profit organizations".
Today, 835 agro-industrial clusters, more than 90 thousand farms and more than 190 cooperatives operate in Uzbekistan.
