The e-NAM platform currently allows online trading in 209 agricultural, horticultural and other commodities notified by respective state governments.
The controversial agriculture marketing laws may have been revoked, but a rising number of farmers now have access to buyers anywhere in the country, thanks to the electronic National Agriculture Market (e-NAM).
While the trade in farm produce on this platform, launched in April 2016, is set to cross Rs 1 trillion in FY24, inter-state eNAM trade is gathering pace, too.
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Moreover, farmers in four states — Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan — have just started selling their produce using electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (eNWRs), paving the way for a digital wholesale market in farm trade.
Market observers say the thriving eNAM trade is to weaken the grip of APMC mandis, a key objective of the laws withdrawn amid protests from a section of the farming community.
According to trade sources, commodities including paddy, wheat, copra, guarseed, turmeric and maize are being sold on e-NAM by farmers in the four states, using e-NWRs. This assures buyers of the quality specifications. Until recently, e-NWRs used to be accessed by only traders and stockists.
According to agriculture ministry officials, with more states designating warehouses registered under the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) as mandi yards, farmers would no longer have to bring their produce to mandis. They can instead deposit stocks at warehouses and get e-NWR.
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“Trade using e-NWRs by farmers reduces the cost of multiple handling of agricultural commodities during the journey to market yards as the goods remain at the accredited cold storage or warehouses,” an official said.
Farmers using e-NWRs would boost inter-state agricultural commodities in a big way, the official added.
Inter-state trade using e-NAM platform is currently under way in Kashmir, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, with farmers selling commodities such as apples, mustard, ragi, silk cocoon, chana, soyabean and jeera, to buyers in states like Kerala, Odisha, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.
Trading among various markets within the states in commodities including copra (Tamil Nadu), dry fish (Odisha), betel leaf (Odisha), soyabean (Maharashtra), jeera (Rajasthan) has risen at a steeper pace in FY23.
Sanjay Gupta, MD and CEO, National Commodities Management Services, said e-NWR offers convenience, transparency, and security and allows farmers, traders and farmer producer organisations access to formal credit . It also helps them preserve the quality of the produce.
“There is a need for farmer education and investment in infrastructure for realising the full potential of e-NWRs and ensuring grassroots benefit transfer,” Gupta said.
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The e-NAM platform currently allows online trading in 209 agricultural, horticultural and other commodities notified by respective state governments.
At present, 1,361 mandis in 27 states and Union Territories are integrated with the e-NAM platform. Also, 17.5 million farmers, 2761 FPOs, 0.24 million traders and around 0.1 million commission agents are registered with e-NAM.
Last year, the government had allowed integration of trading, transportation, logistics, warehousing, assaying, packaging, weather forecast and fintech services thanks to the Platform of Platform with e-NAM portal. About 80 private entities now offer these services to farmers.
Entities whose digital platforms have been integrated with eNAM include Star Agrobazaar Technology, Kisan Network, FPO Bazaar, Arya.ag, Aryadhan, Intello Lab, Bijak and WDRA.
“More states must come forward to designate registered warehouses located near the villages as sub-mandi yards so that farmers can deposit their produce and trade the e-NWR as per their requirement,” B P Pattanaik, former chairman, WDRA, said.
NOTE – This article was originally published in financialexpress and can be viewed here
