E--Nam in Practice: Perceptions, Challenges and Opportunities in Rajasthan and Haryana

The e-NAM initiative of the central government has now integrated over 1389 mandis in 23 states and four union territories. Although it was launched with the aim of removing the marketing inefficiencies of Indian agriculture, the extent of its success is not widespread. The present study has been conducted across eight mandi areas of Haryana and Rajasthan, involving 240 farmers, 32 traders, 40 commission agents, and mandi officials of the respective markets. This present study delves into the following questions: (i) What are the stakeholders’ perceptions and challenges regarding e-NAM? (ii) How are the ground operations going? (iii) What are the potential benefits of e-NAM? (iv) What are the stakeholders suggesting for e-NAM’s holistic improvement and acceptance? Only 22.08% of the total farmers were aware of the existence and operations of e-NAM and by default, they became registered in e-NAM when they came for private selling in mandi. Despite aiming to enhance price transparency, farmers cite traders’ cartelization as their primary constraint, followed by price fluctuations and delayed payments. Traders express most concerns over purchasing produce without physical inspection and in the online payment process. Commission agents fear potential loan defaults if payments are directly made to farmers’ accounts. The primary survey shows the differences between the actual ground operations of e-NAM mandis and the standard e-NAM process flow. Although the operations are not going the way they were supposed to, there is still some gradual progress in terms of improved mandi infrastructure and transparency, enhanced bargaining power of farmers due to quality assurance of crops, etc.