Lok Sabha Question No. 255 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-15
Subject: Decongestion of wholsale markets
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shobha Karandlaje

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 255

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## DECONGESTION OF WHOLESALE MARKETS

## 255.     KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken steps to decongest wholesale markets and to boost the supply chains during the prevailing lockdown situation which occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the National Agriculture Market (eNAM) portal has been revamped, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the number of trucks and transporters linked to e-NAM so far?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)  &  (b):        Yes  Sir.  The  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  decongest  wholesale markets  and  to  boost  the  supply  chains  during  the  prevailing  lockdown  situation  which occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The  Government  vide  their  letter  dated  02 nd April,  2020  had  issued  advisory  to States/Union Territories (UTs) to facilitate Direct Marketing, enabling direct purchase from the  farmers/  Farmer  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs)/  Cooperatives  etc.  by  liberalizing regulations under respective State Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Acts.

FPO  trading  module  has  been  launched  in  National  Agriculture  Market  (e-NAM) platform to facilitate FPOs to trade their agricultural produce from their collection centres without bringing the produce to Agricultural Produce Market  Committee markets. Warehouse based trading module was also launched in e-NAM platform to enable farmers to sell their produce from WDRA registered warehouses notified as deemed market.

Further, 415 new mandis have been integrated into e-NAM platform during COVID19 lockdown period taking the total number to 1000 e-NAM mandis in the country.

Transportation  of  agricultural  produce  is  critical  &  indispensable  component  of supply chain. During the COVID-19 lockdown situation, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare launched 'KISAN RATH', a farmer friendly mobile application, to facilitate farmers in  finding  suitable  transport  vehicles  for  transportation  of  their  Agriculture  &  Horticulture produce.

To ensure the continuous supply of essential goods, hindrance free movement of transportation & real time monitoring of supply & prices, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare  had  created  a  Whatsapp  group  in  coordination  with  senior  officials  from  State Agriculture  Marketing  Boards  (SAMBs)  to  monitor  the  functioning  of  APMCs,  monitor supply & price of essential goods & facilitate inter- state transportation of essential goods during COVID-19 lockdown.

The Government has promulgated 'The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation), Ordinance, 2020' to promote barrier-free inter-state and intrastate trade in farmers' produce to facilitate remunerative prices to farmers.

The  Government  has  promulgated  'The  Farmers  (Empowerment  and  Protection) Agreement  on  Price  Assurance  and  Farm  Services  Ordinance,  2020'  to  protect  and empower farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or big retailers for farm services and sale of future farming produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner.

(c): Yes  Sir. National  Agriculture  Market  (e-NAM)  portal  has  been  revamped  and  the following features have been added in e-NAM platform during lockdown period to enhance its effectiveness and strengthen the agriculture produce supply chain:

- i.  FPO trading module
- ii.  Warehouse based trading  module
- iii.  Logistic information module
- iv. Interoperability of e-NAM with Rashtriya e-Market Services Private Limited (ReMS)
- v. 415 New Mandis integrated into e-NAM Platform
- vi. 25  new  commodities  added  for  trade  on  e-NAM  platform  making  total  tradable commodities of 175 on e-NAM platform.

(d):      So  far,  9  Logistics  Aggregators  partnered  with  e-NAM  platform  having  2,31,300 transporters  linked  with  them,  taking  total  trucks  count  to  11,37,700  up  to  31 st August, 2020.

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