Digital Transformation in Agricultural Marketing in India: Roles of e-NAM, Agri-Tech Startups, and Blockchain

Abstract

India’s agricultural marketing landscape has undergone profound transformation over the past decade with the rapid integration of digital platforms. Traditional marketing channels were historically dominated by fragmented mandis, information asymmetry, and multiple intermediaries, resulting in low price realization for farmers. Since 2016, the launch of the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) and the emergence of agri-tech startups have initiated a new era of digitally enabled agricultural marketing. As of June 2025, e-NAM integrates over 1,500 mandis across 25 states and union territories, with 1.79 crore farmers registered, 4,518 farmer producer organizations (FPOs) onboarded, and cumulative trade value exceeding 4.39 lakh crore. Private agri-tech firms such as DeHaat and Ninjacart have strengthened market linkages, improved last-mile logistics, and enabled faster and more transparent transactions. Blockchain pilots—such as APEDA’s upgraded GrapeNet, the Spices Board–UNDP interface, and Assam’s proposed blockchain tea auctions—demonstrate the potential for enhanced traceability, quality assurance, and export compliance. While digital transformation holds promise for inclusive growth, persistent challenges remain, including infrastructural bottlenecks, digital literacy gaps, uneven state adoption of reforms, and data governance concerns. This short communication provides an updated synthesis of developments, highlights achievements, and suggests policy directions to deepen the impact of digital agricultural marketing in India.