Lok Sabha Question No. 2663 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: North Eastern Region Agri. Commodity E-Connect Web Portal
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Shri Shankar Lalwani

## Government of India

## Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2663

To be answered on

Wednesday, August 7, 2024/16 Shravana, 1946 (Saka)

## QUESTION North Eastern Region Agri. Commodity E-Connect Web Portal

## †2663.   Shri Shankar Lalwani:

Will the Minister of Development of North Eastern Region be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched any web portal and mobile app namely North East Region Agri. Commodity E-Connect (NERACE);
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the benefits likely to acrue to the thereunder?

## ANSWER

## The Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Sukanta Majumdar]

- (a) Yes, Sir.
- (b) The North Eastern Council  (NEC)  under  the  Ministry  of  Development  of  North Eastern  Region  (MDoNER)  in  collaboration with  North  Eastern  Development  Finance Corporation  Limited  (NEDFi)  has  recently  introduced  a  digital  initiative  called  North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity E-Connect (NE-RACE) to provide market linkage for agricultural  and  horticultural  products  from  the  North  Eastern  Region  (NER)  in  both fresh and processed forms. This initiative, available as a web portal and mobile app was launched by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Union Minister of Communication & MDoNER, on 12th July 2024 at Shillong.  The NE-RACE digital platform is funded by NEC and is developed and managed by the NEDFi.

Through  this  portal/app,  producers  such  as  Farmers  Producer  Organizations (FPOs)/farmers collectives, Self-Help Groups, progressive farmers, and entrepreneurs in  the  agri  and  food  processing  sectors  can  directly  showcase  their  products  to prospective buyers minimizing the role of middlemen and fostering trust and long term business relationships.  These buyers include exporters, aggregators, organized sector buyers, wholesale and retail buyers  and   individual  consumers.   The   platform   also onboards   critical   agri-value   chain service  providers  such  as transporters, cold storage facilities,  warehousing  and  cold  chain  services.   The  portal  is  supported  by  a help-line  number  providing  one-on-one  assistance  to  buyers,  sellers,  and  service providers in English, Hindi and major regional languages such as Assamese, Bengali, Nepali, Manipuri, Khasi and Mizo. Additionally, there is provision for making available on-ground support through field-level manpower for buyers and sellers.  The initiative includes provisions for State-wise and cluster-based farmer onboarding camps to build the  capacity of  growers,  enabling  them  to  use  the  digital platform  effectively  to reach global  markets.      There  is  also  provision  for  collaboration  amongst  Agricultural  and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Spices Board, North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC), North East Region Community Resource Management  Society (NERCRMS) and Small Farmers' Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) as well as State Government Departments to ensure the success of this initiative.

- (c) The benefits that are likely to accrue  under the NE-RACE initiative include :
-  Leveraging  the  unique  agricultural  strengths  of  North  East  India  by  promoting exotic and premium agro-horticultural crops that have high demand.
-  Enabling producers to negotiate directly with buyers, ensuring fair compensation for their products.
-  Advance  booking  of  upcoming  products  under  mutually  agreeable  terms  and conditions between producers and buyers.
-  Addressing the critical challenges of logistics by onboarding service providers and facilitating their services.
-  Providing  a  one-stop  shop  for  products  from  North  East  India  that  have  been produced under various missions and projects.
-  Providing empirical evidence on the potential and prospects of the agri-horticultural sector in the North East, enabling the government to undertake more data-driven initiatives for farm sector development, particularly in agri-infrastructure development.

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