National Agricultural Market(eNAM) and it played the role in e marketing of farmers produce in India

DR.N.K. ARORAM.Sc.,Ph.D.,PGDCS., Gold medalist 52nd All India Warehousing,Former Director,WDRA, Delhi& GM/Dy.MD,MSWC,/ SAM,CWC

National Agricultural Market(eNAM) and it played the role in
e marketing of farmers produce in India

As per the Dalwai Committee Report 2017-18 (Volume IV), there are close to 29,547 marketing points. Of these, 22% or 6,615, are regulated markets under the APMC and 22,932 are regional periodical markets (RPMs). On an average, a farmer gets a regulated market in the radius of about 12 km and a RPM in a radius of about 7 kms. Out of these 6,615 markets, the NAM scheme aimed to bring 585 markets (i.e. 9%) on its e-market platform by the end of financial year 2017-18. Quite commendably, as on March 2018, all targeted mandis, i.e., 585 that are in 16 states and 2 UTs, (Chandigarh and Puducherry), have been integrated with the NAM-platform. But, these 585 mandis brought only 90.5 lakh farmers onto the platform, which is less than 7% of the 14 crore Indian farmers. Close to 17 MMTs of quantity worth Rs 42,265 crore (cumulative since platform’s inception), is reported to have been traded on the platform. But, this value is only about 2% of India’s total value of agricultural output. . By including such transactions made at fixed prices (MSP) by a fixed buyer (procurement agency) onto the e-NAM platform, the true spirit of e-NAM, i.e. of free and competitive market fades.

Good information, Dr. Arora. 7% farms covered by 9% mandies is good enough as all farms do not sell at mandies. You have raised the issue of competitiveness - one of the reasons is lack of transparency on the quality of produce seen through standardised parameters. Small quantities brought in by small farmers compound the problem further. The solution will emerge by giving attention to this aspect right from the sowing stage, and not when the produce is brought to the mandi. This is what we wanted to attempt when we conceptualised the FPOs. The last Budget aims in that direction.