New Delhi, Feb 6 : The Centre has taken a significant step to improve farmers’ market access and increase their earnings by adding 10 new agricultural commodities to the National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) platform. This expansion, announced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, is intended to modernize digital trading and offer farmers higher returns for their produce.
The newly included commodities consist of dried tulsi leaves, besan (chickpea flour), wheat flour, chana sattu (roasted chickpea flour), and water chestnut flour, listed under miscellaneous products. From the spices category, asafoetida and dried fenugreek leaves have been added, while water chestnut and baby corn represent the new additions in the vegetables category. Jackfruit is also part of the expanded list.
This decision follows consistent demands from farmers, traders, and other stakeholders for an expanded selection of tradable goods. To facilitate this, the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) has developed specific tradable parameters for each of the 10 commodities after thorough consultations with state agencies, traders, subject matter experts, and the Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC). The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, approved the move.
According to IANS , the introduction of these parameters is expected to enhance the efficiency and fairness of agricultural trade by ensuring quality standards and providing farmers with better price options. The DMI’s work in developing these parameters will help ensure that the trading of these commodities is transparent and commercially beneficial.
With the addition of these 10 products, the total number of tradable commodities on the e-NAM platform has increased from 221 to 231. The platform also supports secondary trade, offering Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) the opportunity to market value-added products, thereby formalizing agricultural trade and creating new growth opportunities.
The updated tradable parameters will be made available on the e-NAM portal (enam.gov.in), further strengthening the platform’s capacity to connect farmers with better markets and pricing opportunities. This initiative reflects the government’s ongoing efforts to modernize the agricultural sector, promote inclusivity, and ensure transparency in market transactions. According to the Ministry, these efforts will contribute to the economic well-being of farmers and foster long-term growth in the agricultural sector.