How Farmer Can Use e-NAM Portal To Access A Wider Range Of Products And Best Prices

Today, more states are initiating the trade of agricultural commodities through a digital agri-marketing platform, the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM). This has resulted in the rise of trading among various markets at both the state and interstate levels.

What is e-NAM?

The electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) is a pan-India online trading portal launched by the Prime Minister of India on April 14, 2016. It is wholly funded by the Central Government and focuses on the amalgamation of Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across the country via a common online market platform.

It focuses on providing better prices for the farmers’ agricultural commodities through a transparent auction process that is based on the quality of the produce and timely online payments. It is managed by the Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. While farmers are the primary players, e-NAM also provides an opportunity for traders, exporters, and commission agents to improve their businesses through a unified market place.

How does it benefit farmers?

• e-NAM provides a large number of options for the framers to sell their produce, which leads to fair competition in the market.

• It also gives the farmers an opportunity to explore the national-level markets with a price that is based on the quality of their produce.

• It gives higher returns for farmers.

How does e-NAM work?

• The management of agriculture marketing is implemented by the respective states as per their agri-marketing regulations.

• Every state has its own APMC Act, including varied provisions.

• The lack of uniformity and agreement has led to the disintegration of agricultural markets, where each state performs differently as a separate market.

• These separate markets will be regulated by a separate APMC that imposes its own marketing regulations.

• It is noted that this fragmentation of markets within states also acts as a hurdle to the free flow of agricultural products between different markets.

• Therefore, this multiple handling of agri-commodities and multiple levels of mandi charges lead to high prices for the consumer without benefiting the farmers.

• Thus, e-NAM addresses these challenges by creating a unified online trading platform both at the state and national levels

Progress of e-NAM

e-NAM has had exceptional development in the last few years. Recently, Rajasthan has been a way ahead than its neighboring states. Here's a look at its achievements. 

• Mandis registered - 14
• Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) registered - 262
• Farmers registered - 15,05,053
• Stakeholders (as on July 26th, 2023) - 16,15,913
• Traders/Commission Agents registered - 1,10,598
• Amount allocated to Financing Facility in Rajasthan - Rs 9,015 crore

e-NAM possesses a huge potential to increase the farmer’s income and limit the exploitation caused by intermediaries.