To provide a unified hassle-free market to farmers, the State Government has decided to set up a Unified Market Platform (UMP) under the Rashtriya e-Market Services (ReMS) replicating the Karnataka model.
“An MoU would be signed with the ReMS for establishing a UMP in the State in line with Karnataka model,” said Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra while chairing a meeting here.Mohapatra said the UMP is proposed to come up by May-end so that maize crop during current Kharif in Nabarangpur can be marketed first.“In the supply chain, since the producers hardly get 10 per cent of the value, it is expected that the model being proposed for Odisha will be very meaningful and will be a significant initiative for finding better market of agricultural produce,” said Mohapatra.
ReMS, a joint venture between NCDEX Spot Exchange and the Karnataka Government launched a UMP in Karnataka in February last. It provides an electronic auction system across the State for transparent price determination in Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) and online access to all APMC market functionaries.
Vice Chairman of ReMS R Ramaseshan said “The ReMS operated with the latest information technology adopting the practices of advanced markets to ensure competitiveness in the agricultural market system for the benefit of the farmers and consumers in a sustainable manner.”He said the ReMS would provide complete technology management solution for modernizing markets in Odisha.
Attending the meeting, Finance Secretary UN Behara empahasized the loan facilities be given to farmers so that they would not be dependant on the traders and money lenders for taking up agricultural operations.