Centre expands e-NAM platform to 238 products with new additions

The Indian government has added 7 new farm products, including Banarasi paan, to the e-NAM platform to provide farmers with better market access, pricing, and quality assurance. The total number of products on the platform now stands at 238. The move aims to boost farmers' economic well-being by creating tradable parameters for each product. The platform supports online bidding, real-time price discovery, and immediate payment settlements.

The Indian government has taken a significant step towards enhancing market access and economic well-being for farmers by adding seven new agricultural products to the e-NAM platform. The inclusion of these products, including Banarasi paan, brings the total number of tradable commodities on the platform to 238 [2].

The announcement was made by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who highlighted that the move aims to provide farmers with better market access, improved pricing, and quality assurance. The new products include sugarcane, Marcha rice, Katarni rice, Jardalu mango, Shahi litchi, Magahi paan, and Banarasi paan [2].

The e-NAM platform, launched in 2016, is a government initiative to digitise and unify agricultural commodity trading in India. It supports online bidding, real-time price discovery, quality-based transparent auctions, and immediate payment settlements, all of which contribute to market efficiency and farmer income [1].

In addition to the new products, the tradable parameters for four existing products—water chestnut flour, baby corn, dragon fruit, and the newly added Magahi paan—have been revised to further enhance the platform's effectiveness. The creation of tradable parameters provides a category or range for each product, helping farmers secure remunerative prices based on the quality of their produce [2].

The new products and revised parameters were approved following extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including state agencies, traders, subject-matter experts, and the Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) [2].

The e-NAM platform is a critical tool for modernising India's agricultural sector, and the recent additions reflect the government's commitment to leveraging technology to benefit farmers. By providing a transparent and efficient marketplace, the platform aims to address some of the long-standing challenges faced by farmers in India.

References:
[1] https://enam.gov.in/web/dashboard/trade-data
[2] https://m.economictimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/centre-adds-7-new-products-on-enam-platform/articleshow/122345669.cms