The e-NAM electronic trading platform has been created with an investment by the Government of India (through the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare).It offers a “plug-in” to any market yard existing in a State (whether regulated or private). The special software developed for e-NAM is available to each mandi which agrees to join the national network free of cost with necessary customization to conform to the regulations of each State Mandi Act.

States interested to integrate their mandis with e-NAM are required to carry out following three reforms in their APMC Act.

a) Single trading license (Unified) to be valid across the state

b) Single point levy of market fee across the state; and

c) Provision for e-auction/ e-trading as a mode of price discovery

Mandis do not lose any business. e-NAM basically increases the choice of the farmer when he brings his produce to the mandi for sale. Local traders can bid for the produce, as also traders on the electronic platform sitting in other State/ Mandi. The farmer may choose to accept either the local offer or the online offer. In either case the transaction will be on the books of the local mandi and they will continue to earn the market fee. In fact, the volume of business will significantly increase as there will be greater competition for specific produce, resulting in higher market fees for the mandi.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Govt. of India has appointed Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) as the Lead Implementing Agency of e-NAM. SFAC will operate and maintain the e-NAM platform with the help of a Strategic Partner, presently NFCL.