Govt seeks bids to hire partner to set up online agriculture market

Government agency Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) has invited bids to hire a strategic partner to set up an online platform for the proposed national agriculture market that seeks to integrate 585 wholesale markets across India.

In July this year, the Cabinet had approved setting up of an online national agriculture market that will provide more options to farmers to sell their produce and also marked Rs 200 crore for its establishment. An amount of Rs 100 crore has already been allocated in current year’s Budget which is being used for the development of this platform. “SFAC has invited bids for appointment of a strategic partner for implementing the national agriculture e-market in the country. We hope to receive <g data-gr-id="25">good</g> response,” Agriculture Secretary Siraj Hussain said. Bids should be submitted by November 3 and tenders will be opened on the same day, he added.

With the help of a strategic partner, Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) will set up an appropriate common e-market platform, which will be deployed in the selected 585 regulated wholesale markets keen to join the e-platform. As many as 10 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Jharkhand, have shown interest to come on board.

According to the proposal, the Union Agriculture Ministry will provide software to state governments free of cost. It will also give grant as a one-time fixed cost subject to the ceiling of Rs 30 lakh per mandi for related infrastructure for installation of the e-market platform.

Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) will implement the national e-platform in three phases in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. Currently, farmers are restricted to selling their produce at mandis that charge various taxes.