e-NAM (Electronic National Agricultural Market)
e-NAM (Electronic National Agricultural Market) is a pan-India online trading platform launched in 2016 to integrate state-level APMC mandis into a unified national market for agricultural commodities.
Objectives of e-NAM:
✅ Eliminate middlemen and ensure better price realization for farmers.
✅ Improve transparency in price discovery through an online auction system.
✅ Provide real-time market information on prices and demand.
✅ Reduce market fragmentation by allowing farmers to sell beyond their local mandi.
How e-NAM Works?
- Farmers register on the e-NAM portal through APMCs.
- They bring their produce to APMC mandis, where it is graded and weighed.
- Buyers from across India bid online for the produce.
- Farmers receive payments directly in their bank accounts.
Benefits of e-NAM:
✔ Increased competition leads to better prices.
✔ Reduced role of middlemen, ensuring higher farmer profits.
✔ More market choices beyond the local mandi.
Challenges:
❌ Poor digital infrastructure in many mandis.
❌ Low farmer awareness & digital literacy.
❌ Resistance from traditional traders & commission agents.
Way Forward:
🔹 Strengthening internet access and digital education for farmers.
🔹 Expanding warehouse-based sales so farmers can sell without traveling.
🔹 Encouraging private players and FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) to participate.
e-NAM is a significant step toward agricultural market reform but requires better implementation and wider adoption to benefit all farmers.