Central govt to give a technology push to agri markets

News:

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA),  has given its approval to a Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of National Agricultural Market through Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund (ATIF).
• They will set it up through the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) by creation of a common electronic platform deployable in selected regulated markets across the country.
• An amount of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for the scheme from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
• The programme will integrate 585 regulated markets across the country with the common e-platform to provide farmers and traders with access to opportunities for purchase/ sale of agri-commodities at optimal prices.
• For integration with the e-platform, the States/UTs will need to undertake prior reforms in respect of single point levy of market fee, and provision for electronic auction as a mode for price discovery and a single license to be valid across the State.

Benefits:

• The e-marketing platform will promote reform of the agricultural marketing sector and, apart from promoting free flow of agricultural commodities across the country, will result in greater farmer satisfaction.
• A farmer will have improved access to market related information and better price discovery through a more efficient, transparent and competitive marketing platform.
• It is likely to increase his access to markets through warehouse based sales and thus obviate the need to transport his produce to the mandi.

Source: SIRF NEWS