UPSC Express

National Agriculture Market 

PM Modi recently launched an electronic mandi to help farmers sell their produce online and do away with the problems many farmers face in agricultural markets. National Agriculture Market (NAM) has been incorporated by the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation.

• This e-platform aims to provide more options to farmers to sell their produce and is part of implementation of the roadmap for doubling income of the farmers by 2022.
• In July last year, the Cabinet had approved setting up of an online national agriculture market with a budget of Rs 200 crore.

Key facts:

• The purpose behind NAM is the creation of a common national market for agricultural commodities through an e-platform network.
• National agricultural products market platform will integrate 585 wholesale markets across India under an online platform.
• NAM will ensure farmers get competitive returns and consumers get stable prices and steady availability.
• It was implemented in 3 phases covering 250, 200 and 135 mandis during 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively.
• A budgetary provision of Rs.200 crores had been made to be spent over the next three years (2015-16 to 2017-18).

National Agriculture Market (NAM) was launched on the occasion of 125 birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar.