Srinagar, Mar 19: In a major fillip to the integration of Jammu & Kashmir’s horticulture sector with the national market, an 11-tonne consignment of apples and pears from the Valley was successfully traded and dispatched to the Gultekdi Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Pune, Maharashtra, in August 2025.
The inter-state transaction, facilitated through the Government of India’s National Agriculture Market (e‑NAM) portal, marks a significant milestone for the Union Territory. It highlights the growing confidence of local growers in the digital trading network, enabling them to bypass traditional middlemen and secure better prices through transparent online bidding.
According to official data presented in the Lok Sabha earlier this week, the e‑NAM platform has witnessed a phenomenal response in Jammu & Kashmir. In a written reply, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary as per Kashmir Convener informed the House that 17 mandis in the UT have been onboarded onto the national platform. This integration has facilitated a cumulative trade volume worth a staggering ₹1,736 crore since the scheme’s implementation in the region.
The Minister stated that the platform has registered over 52,000 farmers from J&K, with approximately 2.9 lakh tonnes of produce being traded digitally as of February 2026. The value of trade has seen an exponential rise, growing from a modest ₹89 lakh in 2021-22 to ₹32 crore by 2023, underscoring the rapid adoption of online agricultural marketing.
While the numbers are encouraging, industry stakeholders stressed the need for a parallel focus on quality to sustain this growth trajectory. “The success of e‑NAM hinges not just on volume, but on quality. Proper grading, standardised packaging, and efficient cold chains for apples and other perishables are crucial to building long-term buyer confidence across the country,” Mohammad Ashraf, a fruit trader based in the Valley, told Kashmir Convener.
The e‑NAM scheme, launched nationally in 2016, aims to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities. It provides farmers with access to a wider buyer network through online bidding and ensures direct payment transfer to their bank accounts. To bolster the initiative, the central government provides financial assistance of up to ₹75 lakh per mandi for strengthening infrastructure, including electronic weighing systems, grading and packaging units, and quality testing labs.
Nationally, 1,656 mandis have been integrated into the platform, benefiting over 1.8 crore farmers and 2.72 lakh traders. The total trade value on e‑NAM has crossed ₹4.82 lakh crore, with over 13 crore tonnes of produce traded as of February 2026.
Officials maintain that with continued investment in post-harvest infrastructure and a focus on quality improvements, Jammu & Kashmir is well-positioned to further consolidate its role as a key player in the country’s digital agricultural trade landscape.
Comments are closed.