Maarg Manthan · Topic 3.6

e-NAM (National Agriculture Market)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Schemes · Topic 3.6

The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) is a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities, launched on 14 April 2016 by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, with the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium as the lead agency. It links Agricultural Produce Market Committee mandis into one online market, so that farmers can sell to buyers across states through e-auction and online payment. As reported by the Ministry in April 2026, 1,656 mandis in 23 states and 4 Union Territories were integrated, with over 1.80 crore farmers registered.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Schemes

At a Glance

Launch 14 April 2016
Ministry Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Lead agency Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC)
Type Central Sector Scheme
Reach (Mar 2026) 1,656 mandis, over 1.80 crore farmers, Rs 4.84 lakh crore trade (as reported)
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the sixth topic of the macro on agriculture and farmer welfare. It deals with the sale of the crop, after the schemes for income, insurance and water. It also helps farmer groups, as in Formation of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), which can trade on the platform. Previous topic: Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). Next topic: Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme.

How Does e-NAM Work?

Feature	Detail
Launch	Launched on 14 April 2016, the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, with 21 mandis in 8 states. It was meant to be an online market on top of existing mandis and not a replacement
Platform	A common electronic trading platform. The Centre gives the software free of cost and meets part of the operating cost
Unified licence	A trader with a licence in one state can trade in all e-NAM mandis of that state. States have to make this change in their APMC laws
Single point levy	Market fee is charged once, at the first point of sale, and not at every sale
Electronic auction	Bids are made online, which improves price discovery and cuts the role of middlemen
Quality assaying	Mandis get labs for grade and quality testing, so that buyers can bid for lots without seeing them
Payment	Money is sent online to the bank account of the farmer within a short time of the sale
Support to mandis	A one time grant for mandi infrastructure such as cleaning, grading and assaying equipment, up to Rs 75 lakh per mandi

What Do the Latest Numbers Show?

Mandis: 1,656 mandis in 23 states and 4 Union Territories were integrated by March 2026, as reported
Farmers: over 1.80 crore farmers were registered
Traders: about 2.73 lakh traders and about 4,700 FPOs were registered
Trade value: about 13.25 crore metric tonnes of produce worth about Rs 4.84 lakh crore were traded since 2016, as reported by the Ministry in April 2026
Ten years: e-NAM completed ten years in April 2026
Commodities: more than 200 commodities including grains, vegetables, fruits and spices are listed
Inter-state trade: a facility for inter-state trade has been added, with warehouse based trading
Caution: Different sources give slightly different numbers by date, so quote the official figure with the month

What Else Should You Remember?

Full name: e-NAM stands for the National Agriculture Market, an electronic trading portal for farm produce, and the e stands for electronic
Reason: Farmers faced many layers of intermediaries and local monopolies in mandis, which lowered the price they received
APMC: Agricultural markets are a State subject under Entry 28 of the State List, and each state has its own Agricultural Produce Market Committee law
Model laws: The Centre suggested model laws in 2017 and 2018, and the three farm laws of 2020 were an attempt at national reform, as in The Three Farm Laws and Their Repeal (2020–21)
FPOs: Farmer producer organisations can trade directly from their collection centres on the platform
Spot market: e-NAM works as a spot market. Futures and other tools are separate
Issues: Some mandis have low online trade, as many lots are still sold in the old way, and few buyers outside the state bid
Infrastructure: Weak assaying labs, poor internet and lack of storage reduce use of the platform
Trader resistance: Local traders and commission agents may resist change
Link with eNWR: Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts allow farmers to store in warehouses and sell later through the platform
MSP link: e-NAM is a market tool and does not give a guarantee of Minimum Support Price
Ministry reform: Agri marketing is also helped by the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund and the Agri Market Reform ideas in state laws

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Date: 14 April 2016, Central Sector Scheme
Agency: SFAC is the lead agency
Features: unified licence, single point levy, e-auction
Legal: markets are a State subject
Data: 1,656 mandis and 1.80 crore farmers by March 2026

As an analytical point, an online platform can widen the market only if physical systems such as grading, storage and transport work. Law reform to allow one licence across states and a single fee is also needed. Where these are in place, farmers see better price discovery.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Marketing reform One national market idea
Facts Agency and features
Latest Ten years in 2026

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the farm credit card that gives short-term loans. Next topic: Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme.

Key People and Terms

APMC Agricultural Produce Market Committee
Mandi Regulated market
SFAC Lead agency
Assaying Quality testing
eNWR Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt
Price discovery Setting price through bids

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Launched on 14 April 2016.
Lead agency: SFAC.
Unified licence and single point levy.
1,656 mandis by March 2026 (as reported).
Markets are a State subject.

Do Not Confuse With

e-NAM and APMC A national online platform versus state regulated mandis
e-NAM and eNWR Trading platform versus warehouse receipts
e-NAM and MSP Market price discovery versus a price guarantee

Memory Hook

One licence, one fee, one auction online: many mandis, one market.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about agricultural marketing reform and the one nation one market idea. These points give a balanced frame.

Merits Price discovery, transparency, wider market
Demerits Low online share, trader resistance, weak assaying
Way ahead Law reform, infrastructure, FPO role

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine how e-NAM can help farmers get better prices and why its progress has been uneven.”

How to Answer

Intro Platform of 2016.
Benefits Price discovery.
Gaps Infrastructure and resistance.
Way Law reform and FPOs.

GS Relevance

Prelims: launch, lead agency, features, number of mandis. GS Paper 3: agricultural marketing, APMC reforms, price discovery and technology in agriculture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is e-NAM?

The National Agriculture Market is a pan-India electronic trading portal launched on 14 April 2016 by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It links regulated mandis into one online market, so that farmers can sell their produce through e-auction to buyers in other places, with online payment to their bank accounts.

Which agency implements e-NAM?

The Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium, an autonomous society under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, is the lead agency for e-NAM. It runs the platform with a strategic partner, and the Centre gives the software free to states that join, along with a grant for mandi infrastructure.

What are the main features of e-NAM?

The main features are a common online platform, a unified trading licence valid across a state, a single point levy of market fee, electronic auction for price discovery, quality testing through assaying labs, and online payment to farmers. States must amend their APMC laws to take full advantage of these features.

How many mandis are integrated with e-NAM?

As reported by the Ministry in April 2026, 1,656 mandis in 23 states and 4 Union Territories were integrated with e-NAM, with over 1.80 crore farmers, about 2.73 lakh traders and about 4,700 FPOs registered. Trade of about Rs 4.84 lakh crore was recorded between 2016 and March 2026.

What is the latest status of e-NAM?

e-NAM completed ten years in April 2026 and continues as a Central Sector Scheme. The platform has added inter-state trade, warehouse based trading and FPO trading, but online share of trade in many mandis is still low, so official data should be checked for the latest numbers.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 e-NAM was launched on 14 April 2016.

True

The birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar.

2 The lead agency of e-NAM is NABARD.

False

It is the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium.

3 e-NAM offers a unified licence and a single point levy.