Central Government is making concerted efforts to facilitate farmers in direct marketing and assure better returns for their harvested produce during lockdown period. The States have been requested to promote the concept of ‘Direct marketing’ to facilitate farmers, Farmers Producer Organization (FPOs) and Cooperatives in selling their produce to bulk buyers and big retailers.
Agriculture Ministry had also issued an advisory to the States to promote direct marketing without insisting for licensing procedures and facilitate the farmers in timely marketing of farm produce. Agriculture Ministry has introduced two modules under National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) with a view to decongest wholesale markets and to boost the supply chain.
Under FPO Module, Farmer Producer Organizations can directly trade with e-NAM portal by uploading produce details from collection centres with picture and quality parameter. By doing so they can avail the bidding facility without going to the mandis. While Under Warehouse Based Trading Module, farmers can sell their produce from Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority registered warehouses.
The various States including Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttarakhand have allowed direct marketing without requirement of any licence. As per the report received from the States, Direct Marketing has facilitated the farmers groups, Cooperatives and all the stakeholders in timely marketing of farm produce.
The e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trade portal linking Agriculture Produce Market Committees across the States. Already 585 mandis in 16 States and two Union Territories have been integrated on e-NAM portal and 415 such mandis will also be brought under the platform.
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