9-Dec-2022: Remunerative Price to Farmers for their Agricultural Produce

Government of India has launched National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Scheme on 14th  April, 2016.  e-NAM is a virtual platform integrating physical wholesale mandis/ markets of different States/ Union Territories (UTs) to facilitate online trading of agricultural commodities including foodgrains through transparent price discovery method to enable farmers/ Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to realize better remunerative prices for their produce. As on 05th December,2022, about 1260 mandis of 22 States and 3 UTs have been integrated with e-NAM platform.

Agricultural Marketing is in the domain of State Governments and wholesale marketing of agricultural produce is promoted and regulated under the provisions of States’ APMC Acts. However, Government realizing the significance of markets and also having well understood the riddle of agricultural marketing has taken various measures to develop alternative marketing arrangements. The arrangements include development of multiple and competitive marketing channels with elements of transparency in entire chain of transaction, better price discovery through promotion of private markets and direct marketing.

In addition, Government has launched e-NAM to enhance farmers’ accessibility to multiple markets and buyers and also to improve transparency and price discovery through competitive bidding.

Further, Government of India has launched the Central Sector Scheme of “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)” to form and promote 10,000 new FPOs which will leverage economies of scale, reduction of cost of production and enhancing farmers’ incomes. As on 30th November, 2022, total 4028 FPOs have been registered. All these contribute towards better marketing efficiency and also better prices to farmers.

2-Aug-2022: 2177 FPOs onboard eNAM Trading Module

Government had launched FPO trading module during Covid-19 pandemic to enable FPOs to upload their produce from collection centres/ farm gate with picture/ quality parameter for online bidding without physically bringing their produce to the mandis. So far, 2177 FPOs have been onboarded on National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform.

Under the e-NAM scheme, Government of India is providing assistance upto Rs 75 Lakh per mandi for related hardware/ infrastructure including for quality assaying equipments and for creation of infrastructure like cleaning, grading, sorting, packaging and compost unit etc. An established quality assaying lab in e-NAM mandis is a requisite for Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) that assess and certify the quality of produce, which helps famers in getting prices commensurate with quality of their produce. Further, provision has been made in FPO trading module wherein FPOs can upload their produce from collection centres/ farm gate with picture/ quality parameters.

Under the scheme, various training & awareness programmes are conducted for farmers, traders and other stakeholders for successful implementation of e-NAM.

Further, following measures have been taken to strengthen assaying under e-NAM:

1. Trading parameters for 193 agricultural and horticultural commodities such as cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits & vegetables, spices, flowers and fiber crops have been provided on e-NAM platform.
2. Platform of Platforms module (PoP) has been launched to integrate the various platforms of service providers operational in Agri Value Chain with e-NAM. Under PoP, various service providers including Quality Assayers are empanelled for the benefit of stakeholders.
3. Multilingual (12 languages) trade portal and robust mobile app is available free of cost for all stakeholders, through which stakeholders can track progress of respective lots online (Sampling, Quality assaying certificate, e-bidding, bid declaration, e-payment etc.).
4. AI based assaying equipments have been integrated with e-NAM platform.

On 14th July, 2022, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare launched the Platform of Platforms (PoP) under e-NAM which involves integration of various service providers platform/ on boarding of service providers such as trading, transportation, sorting, grading, Fintech, warehousing and other aspects of value chain etc. to enhance farmers accessibility digitally to multiple number of buyers, service providers etc. PoP will enable Farmers, FPOs, Traders and other stakeholders to access a range of services offered by multiple service providers, thereby increasing choice to the stakeholders.

Further the e-NAM platform is made interoperable with Rashtriya e-Market Services Private Limited (ReMS) platform of Government of Karnataka which will facilitate famers of either platforms to sell their produce in other platform thereby increasing their market access.

14-Jul-2022: Union Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar launches Platform of Platforms (POP) under eNAM, over Rs 37 crore equity grant released to 1018 FPOs

The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, launched the Platform of Platforms (POP) under the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) on the sidelines of the State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers' Conference in Bengaluru, Karnataka today. Equity grant of over Rs 37 crore was also released to 1,018 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) that will benefit about 3.5 lakh farmers.

Besides Shri Tomar, the dignitaries present included the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ms. Shobha Karandlaje and Shri Kailash Choudhary, Agriculture Minister of Karnataka, Shri BC Patil, State Ministers, Union Agriculture Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja and other senior officers.

With the introduction of POP, farmers will be facilitated to sell the produce outside their state borders. This will increase farmers' digital access to multiple markets, buyers and service providers and bring transparency in business transactions with the aim of improving price search mechanism and quality commensurate price realisation. 41 service providers from different platforms are covered under POP facilitating various value chain services like trading, quality checks, warehousing, fintech, market information, transportation etc. The PoP will create a digital ecosystem, which will benefit from the expertise of different platforms in different segments of the agricultural value chain.

e-NAM integrates the platform of Service Providers as "Platform of Platforms" which includes Composite Service Providers (Service Providers who provide holistic services for trading of agricultural produce including quality analysis, trading, payment systems and logistics), Logistics Service Provider, Quality Assurance Service Provider, Cleaning, Grading, Sorting & Packaging Service Provider, Warehousing Facility Service Provider, Agricultural Input Service Provider, Technology Enabled Finance & Insurance Service Provider, Information Dissemination Portal (Advisory Services, crop forecasting, weather updates, capacity building for farmers etc.) and other platforms (e-commerce, international agri-business platforms, barter, private market platforms etc.).

The inclusion of various service providers not only adds to the value of the e-NAM platform, but also gives the users of the platform options to avail services from different service providers. It enables farmers, FPOs, traders and other stakeholders to access a wide variety of goods and services across the agricultural value chain through a single window, thereby giving more options to the stakeholders. Moreover, while selecting a good quality Goods/Service Provider, it saves the time and labour of the stakeholders. The POP can be accessed through e-NAM mobile app which can be downloaded from Google Play Store.

On the occasion, Shri Tomar released an equity grant of more than Rs 37 crore to 1,018 FPOs under the CSS which will benefit about 3.5 lakh farmers leading to the goal of setting up of 10 thousand FPOs. The Producer Members' equity, supplemented by a similar equity grant from the Central Government, would strengthen the financial base of the FPOs and help them to avail loans from financial institutions for their projects and working capital requirements for business development. Under the scheme, upto Rs. 18 lakh financial aid per FPO will be provided for a period of 3 years. In addition, a loan of Rs. 2,000 for each farmer member of the FPO within a limit of Rs.15 lakh per FPO will be available. There is also a provision of project loan or equivalent grant from any eligible lending institution of up to Rs.2 crore per FPO.

The Coffee Table Book released by the Agriculture Minister showcases the endeavour and journey of e-NAM in bringing transparency and efficiency in the trade of agricultural products in the country through innovation and technology. Coffee Table Book on e-NAM focuses on showcasing the benefits and success of farmers and stakeholders by facilitating digitization of APMC mandis.

22-Mar-2022: Improving e-NAM

National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) is a virtual platform integrating physical wholesale mandis/ markets of different States/ Union Territories (UTs) to facilitate online trading of agricultural commodities through transparent price discovery method to enable farmers to realize better remunerative prices for their produce.

The Central Government is providing free e-NAM software and financial grant assistance for related hardware including quality assaying equipments and for creation of infrastructure like cleaning, grading, sorting, packaging and compost unit etc.

States/ UTs have availed the assistance by submission of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and created related infrastructure for smooth functioning of e-NAM at respective mandis. States like Rajasthan, Gujarat & Haryana had installed quick assaying equipments in their e-NAM mandis.

State Governments have been advised to explore the possibilities of upgrading the internet connectivity with internet service providers. States have also been advised to provide sufficient computers & other hardware with requisite manpower. Close monitoring of the progress through meetings at various levels and visits of the officers to e-NAM mandis is carried out. Under the scheme, various training & awareness programmes are conducted for farmers, traders, commission agents and other stakeholders for successful implementation of e-NAM.

Farmers are free to register on e-NAM Portal and sell their produce through online transparent and competitive bidding method, which is encouraging them to join increasingly on e-NAM platform. Also APMCs help farmers in registering as sellers in e-NAM.

So far, more than 1.72 Crore farmers have registered on e-NAM platform, within the catchment area of 1000 mandis which are integrated on e-NAM platform. The agricultural produce trade with a value of Rs 1.82 lakh crore have so far been recorded on e-NAM platform.

Following are some of the major efforts taken by the Government to continuously promote the e-NAM platform:-

1. Integration of additional 415 mandis with e-NAM, taking the total number of mandis to 1000 across 18 states and 3 UTs, thus bringing more markets access to farmers to sell their agriculture produce.
2. FPO trading module has been launched whereby FPOs can trade their produce from their collection center/ premise without bringing the produce to APMC.
3. Warehouse based trading module is provided in e-NAM to facilitate trade from warehouses based on e-NWR.
4. Further the e-NAM platform is made inter operable with Rashtriya e Market Services Private Limited (ReMS) platform of Government of Karnataka which will facilitate famers of either platforms were can sell their produce in other platform thereby increasing their market access.
5. GPS Based e-NAM Mandi Locator: Farmers / Sellers can locate their nearby e-NAM mandi using GPS based mandi locator feature through e-NAM mobile app. This will helps the farmers to easily locate and reach the selected mandis and sell their Agri-produce.
6. Weather Forecasting Details for e-NAM mandis.
7. Integration with AGMARKNET platform: Farmer can access the prevailing commodity prices & arrival information of e-NAM mandi as well as non e-NAM mandi on e-NAM mobile app. prior to even going to the mandi.

4-Feb-2022: Integration of E-MANDIS into E-NAM Platform

Since 31st March 2018, 415 new mandis have been integrated on National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform. As on 31st December 2021, 1000 mandis of 18 States and 03 Union Territories have been integrated with e-NAM platform. More than 1.72 Crore farmers and 2 lakh traders have registered themselves on e-NAM platform.

Government provides following support under e-NAM scheme:

1. e-NAM software is provided to States / UTs free of cost.
2. Department gives grant as one-time fixed cost to the States / UTs up to Rs. 75.00 lakh per mandi, for purchase of hardware, internet connection, assaying equipment and related infrastructure including cleaning, grading and packaging facilities and Bio-compost unit, to make the mandi ready for integration with e-NAM platform.
3. A trained staff (Mandi Analyst) is deputed at each mandi, for an initial period of one year to provide day to day hand holding support to stakeholders and train other mandi staff.
4. Helpdesk support: A toll free No. (1800-2700-224) and email support (enam.helpdesk[at]gmail[dot]com) is available to enable stakeholders to raise their query.
5. Online tutorials are available on www.enam.gov.in
6. Regular training of stakeholders (Farmers, Traders, FPOs, Mandi staff etc.) are conducted to   create awareness and handholding regarding e-NAM portal.

As per the Union Budget Announcement 2020-21, additional 1000 mandis to be integrated with e-NAM platform. The total budgetary outlay for integration of 1000 e-NAM Mandis since inception is Rs. 1171.93 Cr. Total 1000 mandis of 401 districts are utilizing e-NAM platform across 18 States & 3 UTs. In Karnataka, Kalaburagi district has 2 mandis integrated to e-NAM platform, namely Kalaburagi & Chhincholi.

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8-Dec-2022: 58 airports covered under Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0

Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 was announced on 27 October 2021 enhancing the existing provisions, mainly focusing on transporting perishable food products from the hilly areas, North-Eastern States and tribal areas. For facilitating and incentivising movement of Agri-produce by air transportation, Airports Authority of India (AAI) provides full waiver of Landing, Parking, Terminal Navigational Landing Charges (TNLC) and Route Navigation Facility Charges (RNFC) for Indian freighters and P2C (Passenger-to-Cargo) Aircraft. The scheme primarily covers around 25 airports focusing on North Eastern, Hilly and Tribal region besides 28 airports in other regions/areas. After evaluation of Krishi Udan 2.0, five more airports have been included making it to total 58 airports.

Krishi Udan Scheme is a convergence scheme where eight Ministries/Departments namely Ministry of Civil Aviation, Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region would leverage their existing schemes to strengthen the logistics for transportation of Agri-produce. There is no specific budget allocation under Krishi Udan Scheme.;

The main objective of the Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 is to increase share of air carriage in the modal mix for transportation of Agri-produce, which includes horticulture, fishery, livestock and processed products. The scheme assists farmers in transporting agriculture products so that it improves their value realisation.

Initially 53 Airports were covered in the pilot project for 06 months. Thereafter, during the review, 05 more Airports were added thus total covered are 58 Airports namely, Adampur, Agartala, Agatti, Agra, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bareli, Bhuj, Bhuntar, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Gaggal, Goa, Gorakhpur, Hindon, Imphal, Indore, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Jorhat, Kanpur, Kolkata, Leh, Lengpui, Lilabari, Nashik, Pakyong, Pantnagar, Pathankot, Patna, Pithoragarh, Port-Blair, Prayagraj, Pune, Raipur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Rupsi, Shillong, Shimla, Silchar, Srinagar, Tezpur, Tezu, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Belagavi, Bhopal, Darbhanga, Jabalpur and Jharsuguda.

Krishi Udan scheme is to provide air transportation and logistics support for perishable Agri-produce as per the need. Leveraging the existing schemes of the 8 Ministries as mentioned above, the producers can utilise the services available at 58 airports listed under the scheme considering the demand.

The Scheme aims to ensure seamless, cost-effective, time bound, air transportation and associated logistics for all Agri-produce originating especially from North-East, hilly and tribal regions of the country. Few successful examples are air transportation of 'King Chillies, Burmese Grapes & Assamese Lemon' from Guwahati, 'Jackfruit' from Tripura and 'Litchi' from Darbhanga.

4-Aug-2022: 58 airports are covered under Krishi Udan 2.0 till now

Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 was announced on 27 October 2021 enhancing the existing provisions, mainly focusing on transporting perishable food products from the hilly areas, North-Eastern States and tribal areas. For facilitating and incentivising movement of Agri-produce by air transportation, Airports Authority of India (AAI) provides full waiver of Landing, Parking charges, Terminal Navigational Landing Charges (TNLC) and Route Navigation Facility Charges (RNFC) for Indian freighters and P2C (Passenger-to-Cargo) Aircraft primarily around 25 airports focusing on North Eastern, Hilly and Tribal region and 28 airports in other regions/areas. Further, after evaluation of Krishi Udan 2.0 five more airports have been included, making it to 58 airports.

Krishi Udan Scheme is a convergence scheme where eight Ministries/Departments namely Ministry of Civil Aviation, Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) would leverage their existing schemes to strengthen the logistics for transportation of Agri-produce.

Currently, Prayagraj airport is included under Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0. All perishable commodities are covered under Krishi Udan Scheme in the country. The scheme assists farmers in transporting agriculture products so that it improves their value realisation. Krishi Udan scheme provides air transportation and logistics support for perishable Agri-produce as per the need.

4-Apr-2022: 53 airports are included under Krishi Udan Scheme

Krishi Udan Scheme was launched in August, 2020 on international and national routes to assist farmers in transporting agricultural products so that it improves their value realization. Krishi Udan 2.0 was announced in October, 2021 enhancing the existing provisions, mainly focusing on transporting perishable food products from the hilly areas, North-Eastern States and tribal areas. Primarily the scheme was focusing on 25 airports of North-Eastern Region, Hilly and Tribal region namely Agartala, Agatti, Barapani, Dehradun, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Gaggal, Imphal, Jammu, Jorhat, Kullu (Bhuntar), Leh, Lengpui, Lilabari, Pakyong, Pantnagar, Pithoragarh, Port Blair, Raipur, Ranchi, Rupsi, Shimla, Silchar, Srinagar and Tezu. Subsequently, other 28 AAI airports, namely, Adampur (Jalandhar), Agra, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bareilly, Bhuj, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Goa, Gorakhpur, Hindon, Indore, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kanpur (Chakeri), Kolkata, Nasik, Pathankot, Patna, Prayagraj, Pune, Rajkot, Tezpur, Trichy, Trivandrum, Varanasi and Visakhapatnam have been included in the Scheme.

Krishi Udan is a convergence scheme where eight Ministries/Departments namely Ministry of Civil Aviation, Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) would leverage their existing schemes to strengthen the logistics for transportation of Agri-produce. There is no budgetary allocation for the Scheme.

Under the Scheme, facilitating and incentivizing movement of Agri-produce by air transportation by full waiver of Landing, Parking, Terminal Navigational Landing Charges (TNLC), and Route Navigation Facility Charges (RNFC) for Indian freighters and Passenger to Cargo (P2C) at selected Airports of Airports Authority of India, primarily around 25 airports focusing on NER, Hilly and Tribal region and 28 airports at other areas have been included.

A total of 1,08,479 Metric Tonne perishable cargo (International + Domestic) was handled in Financial Year 2021-22 (till 28 Feb., 2022) in comparison to 84, 042 Metric Tonne handled in Financial Year 2020-21 at AAI airports. Krishi Udan is an ongoing Scheme and  is reviewed from time to time in consultation with stakeholders.