Farmers in Karnal, Haryana are reportedly unable to use the Electronic National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) to sell their produce through the e-trading platform. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched e-NAM in 2016.
Tribune reported that Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) officers are forcing farmers, who visit e-NAM centres for selling their produce, to sell it in other physical markets. While the HSAMB officials claim that crores’ worth of trading has been carried out through the e-trading portal, in reality the officials are reportedly only registering the procurement that was done through the traditional mandis, and not electronically.
Manoj Kumar, a farmer from Bajida village, reportedly tried but failed to sell his black gram crop through e-Nam. Speaking to Tribune, Kumar said, “Karnal is in the dark zone and I am not getting a new tube well connection. Due to water scarcity, I have cultivated black gram on three acres and grown around 15 quintals. However, there is no buyer for my crop in the grain market.” He added, “I went to the market committee office and requested officials to ensure procurement of my pulses through e-NAM, but to no avail.”
According to Kumar, samples of the produced crop are to be tested and results uploaded on the e-NAM portal. A farmer could find buyers in markets that are registered on the portal. “Instead of testing my sample in the laboratory, I was asked to take the produce to Hisar or Siwani as there was no trader in the Karnal grain market,” said Kumar.
Hardeep Singh, chief administrator of HSAMB admitted that e-NAM was not entirely operational in Haryana. “I am not fully satisfied with working of e-NAM in the state. It is at the induction level and work is going on for smooth functioning of this project. We are trying our best for bringing about the change,” he said, speaking to Tribune.
In Haryana, e-NAM was launched in two grain markets in Karnal and Ellenabad. Around 58,145 farmers have reportedly registered themselves in the e-portal in Karnal.
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