Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal today inaugurated an electronic marketplace 'eSANTA' which will provide a platform to connect aqua farmers and buyers.
Goyal said that eSANTA will raise income, lifestyle, self-reliance, quality levels, traceability, and provide new options for aqua farmers.
The e-commerce platform eSaNTA for marine products will empower farmers as they will be able to sell their produce at the click of a button through this portal.
-SANTA (which means mandi or market) is a digital bridge to end the market divide and will act as an alternative marketing tool between farmers and buyers by eliminating middlemen, he said.
Here's a look at how e-SANTA will help to empower farmers:
e-SANTA website will clearly empower the aqua farmers of India with a new and digital solution, with an additional alternative way of selling their products. Now, the farmers can sell on a click of a button from this platform.
For better understability, the site is available in Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali and Odiya. There are plans to make the portal available in other languages too.
The platform shall also provide more freedom, options and opportunities to fish and aqua farmers too, it will also ensure fair prices and traceability to both buyers and sellers.
Currently, there are about 18,000 farmers who are contributing to the country''s marine exports.
The use of modern tools and techniques can help in increasing shrimp production to 6-7 lakh tonnes from 40,000 tonnes.
The platform provides services like easy registration, details of buyers and sellers as well as help expand the business and ensure better prices to farmers.
"The platform will change the traditional way of carrying out business from a word of mouth basis to business.
It will also raise the lives and income of farmers by reducing risks, awareness of products and markets, and shielding against wrong practices.
Traditional aqua farming will also revolutionise by providing a cashless, contactless and paperless electronic trade platform between farmers, exporters and domestic markets.
The minister suggested that the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) should have a rating system for both buyers and sellers on the portal as one can see the ratings and take decisions accordingly.
(With agency inputs)
