Centre asks states to create 'eMarketing' infrastructure for agriculture 'eMandis'

Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh has urged state governments to create a unified 'eMarketing' infrastructure for agriculture 'eMandis' alongside the development of rural transport infrastructure.

He said states should think in terms of a unified agriculture market so that farmers can sell their agriculture produce at a single place. This will also enable the concept of National Unified Agriculture Market to be successful.

He said the 'eMandis' would require a software where farmers could enter the data related to agriculture produce. The minister was addressing the consultative committee attached to the ministry of agriculture in the capital.

Singh said while eMarketing will help bring One Market concept, farmers needed to be educated about this concept. He said the idea is to promote direct linkage between the farmer and the consumer, without the need for intermediaries and enable effective consumer information dissemination.

The minister also suggested a common mandi license fee for the farmers in the entire state for the 'eMandi', which will give flexibility for the farmer to sell agriculture produce in the entire state.

Participants emphasised \the role of state governments in the creation and upkeep of 'eMandis'.