Electronic-National Agriculture Market fails to take off at Guntur Mirchi Yard

Guntur: Electronic-National Agriculture Market (E-NAM) system is not being implemented at the Guntur MirchiYard, which is Asia’s biggestmarket. Lack of proper planning and coordination among the officials and buyers are said to be the reasons for non-implementation. If it is implemented, profit of the commission agents will be reduced.   

The aim of implementing the system is to get a better price for the produce of farmers and to eliminate involvement of middlemen in chilli purchases. Under the system, as soon as the stock reaches to the Mirchi Yard, it isweighed and a slip is automatically generated.

There will not be any scope to manipulate in weighing of the stock. The buyer has to make payment on the day of purchaseto the farmers’saving account directly. The agents' commission will be credited to his account. 

Agriculture Marketing Commissioner Samuel Anand Kumar and District Collector Kona Sasidharhave directed the officials to implement E-NAM from this season.

Guntur Mirchi Yard secretary M Srinivas said, “We have issued instructions to implement the E-NAM to maintain transparency in chilli purchases. We have conducted meeting with the traders and instructed them to implement the E-NAM for all chilli purchases. 

A chilli commission agent, KilariRosaiah said, “Guntur Mirchi Yard will get 80,000 to 1 lakh bags of mirchi per day during the season. It is difficult for any trader to make payments to the farmers on the same day. We can purchase 10 per cent of the stock.

There are 100 traders in the yard.Only5 per cent of the traders are in a position to make payments immediately. Depending on availability of the cash, we will make payment to the farmers. We sellmirchito the exporters and they make payment after 10 to 15 days.

It is difficult to make payments to the hamalis online since many of them do not have bank accounts and they demand cash payment. If E-NAM is implemented, the commission agents will get their commission on the same day.”

Another commission agentsaid, “If E-NAM is implemented every paisa will be accounted for. We have to pay more income tax. We are financing the farmers and purchasing their stock. If E- NAM is implemented, we cannot do our business in the yard.”

By V L Syamsundar