New Delhi (NVI): With an aim to provide an electronic marketplace providing a platform to connect aqua farmers and the buyers, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal today inaugurated e-SANTA, a web portal.
According to the statement, the e-SANTA will enable the farmers to get a better price and the exporters to directly purchase quality products from the farmers enhancing traceability, a key factor in international trade.
The term e-SANTA was coined for the web portal, meaning Electronic Solution for Augmenting NaCSA farmers’ Trade in Aquaculture.
National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) is an extension arm of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Govt. of India, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
Speaking on the occasion, Goyal said e-SANTA will raise income, lifestyle, self-reliance, quality levels, traceability, and provide new options for our aqua farmers.
He said that the platform will change the traditional way of carrying out business from a word-of-mouth basis to become more formalised & legally binding.
“e-SANTA will RAISE the lives & income of farmers by Reducing Risk, Awareness of Products & Markets, Increase in Income, Shielding Against Wrong Practice, Ease of Processes,” Goyal added.
The Minister said that e-SANTA is a Digital Bridge to end the market divide and will act as an alternative marketing tool between farmers & buyers by eliminating middlemen.
“e-SANTA can become a tool to advertise collectively the kind of products the buyers, fishermen & fish producing organisations are harvesting, so people in India & internationally can know what is available & in the future, it can become an auction platform,” he added.
The Platform is available in many languages, which will help the local population.
Describing it as another feather in the cap of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the Minister said it will help India become self-reliant.
He said that our government is committed towards the welfare of farmers.
“The initiative of NaCSA has the potential to change the Naksha (Map) of marketing of aqua products in India,” he added.
–PRT
