DINDIGUL: Farmers show less preference to e-Nam (National Agriculture Market) portal, as they receive good prices for produce in the open markets in Dindigul. The e-Nam platform was created to help farmers sell produce easily and this also facilitates online payment settlement directly into farmers' accounts. There is about 78% drop in e-payment collected through the portal in 2023-24, when compared to 2022-23.
According to official records, agricultural commodities weighing 1,91,444 quintals were sold through six market regulatory committees and e-payment amounting to Rs 43.64 crore were collected in 2022-2023. Agricultural commodities weighing 1,73,762 quintals were sold and e-payment of Rs 9.74 crore were collected in 2023-24. In the current year (2024-2025), agricultural commodities weighing 89,624 quintals have been sold and Rs 4.09 crore has been collected as e-payment as of September, 2024.
P Selvaraj, a farmer, said, "e-Nam is a pan-India electronic trading platform mainly used to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. However, many farmers are not aware of the transactions or the platform itself. Besides, they are completely dependent on the traditional way of selling to only traders, who reach out to them. Some traders, in order to retain the farmers, offer money in advance. When registered farmers stop using the platform, new farmers should be showing interest, but this is not happening. Hence, it is clear that most farmers are unaware of the portal leading to a huge fall in new registrations."
Former deputy director (agri business) L Mayakrishan said, "e-Nam is a transparent portal and there is no syndicate involvement. Even large retailers, processors and exporters can source commodities from any mandi from across India, thereby reducing inter-mediation cost. Besides, farmers who are not receiving appropriate price for their produce can move to e-Nam. In 2022-23, many farmers sold the produce and got good prices for paddy, banana, groundnuts, green chillies through e-Nam from across the country. In the next few years (2023-24), as farmers receive good prices in the open market, they find it unnecessary to use the portal."
An official from the district marketing committee said, "Dindigul has huge potential in the agriculture and vegetable sector. Buyers from Chennai and Coimbatore, and even Kerala show interest, particularly in paddy, groundnuts, banana, maize, since these are cash crops. In the 2023-24 period, coconut farmers got good prices from buyers, who bought from the farmland itself. They completely avoided the portal, leading to the drop. Currently, good prices are being offered on all agri commodities in e-Nam. As a result, 89,624 quintals of commodities were sold and e-payment for Rs 4.09 crore were received as of September 2024. Still there are many months ahead, we have to wait and watch."