Specialised digital market yards mooted for agri trade

PANEL BACKS PAN-INDIA LICENCE FOR MARKETING | Move to spur inter-state trade on e-NAM

- SANDIP DAS

TO BOOST INTER-MANDI and interstate trade in agricultural commodities, a high-level expert committee set up by the agriculture ministry has recommended creation of specialised market yards of national importance (MNI), which could complement the existing electronic-National Agriculture Market (eNAM). It also mooted seamless licensing of agriculture marketing across the country, where licence issued by one state will have pan-India validity.

The MNI could be "construed as a specialised extension of the eNAM," the committee has noted.

While stating that e-NAM objective of promoting inter-state farm trade has "largely remained unachieved," in the seven years since its launch, the committee urged the states to initiate a series of measures, which includes recognising traders licence of other states, declaring warehouses and cold storages as market yards, prompt system for dispute settlement and allowing hassle-free movement of the produce.