NE-RACE: Connecting Nagaland farmers to national and international markets

“Nagaland has already exported 40-50 metric tonnes of agricultural products through the NE-RACE portal”

The North East Region Agri-Commodity E-Connect (NE-RACE) platform is providing a crucial market linkage for farmers in Nagaland, aiming to connect them with both national and international buyers, said Ariba Anar, State Coordinator for NERACE in Nagaland, in a conversation with MT.

NE-RACE initiative was developed under the aegis of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the North Eastern Council (NEC), while the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi) is the implementing agency. It aligns with the Central Government’s Vision 2047, which seeks to integrate North East markets into national and global trade networks.

Digital market access for farmers
The platform operates through the NERACE Seller App and NERACE Buyer App, both available on Google Play Store as well as Apple App store. Farmers register on the seller app, while buyers register on the buyer app, allowing for direct transactions without additional charges. “Our goal is to connect aggregators, bulk buyers, exporters and entrepreneurs with the farmers, FPCs, SHGs, so that they get the maximum advantage of pricing,” Anar stated. The platform has a robust back-end team where the Help-desk team supports any queries related to the platform in eight regional languages of the North eastern region. The field team consists of 8 state coordinators – 1 each for the 8 North Eastern states.

His role as the state coordinator involves business development, market linkage, and market analysis. “I help all the existing government departments as well as private investment agencies who are working in the agriculture sector to export or sell the product”.

“My role comes in when the farmer has a product and he is not able to sell. So, when there is a buyer in the market, I’ll be going to the farmer directly and find both the farmer, their product and their quality on behalf of the farmers and I will send from end to end. And also, if there are any transportation or packaging issues, the NE-RACE team tries to resolve those issues by providing practical solutions for them.”

“We are looking forward to three things basically: buyers, sellers and service providers. Service providers can be in the form of transportation/logistics providers, entrepreneurs who can help with packaging facilities or storage facilities in the state.”

Growing exports and market potential
Nagaland has already exported 40-50 metric tonnes of agricultural products through the NE-RACE platform, including kiwis and persimmons from Pfutsero area in Phek district, king chilies from Jalukie, and ginger from Phek. “The agriculture-related departments have been cooperative, and the process is running smoothly,” he added.

One of the platform’s key advantages is transparency. Farmers can see real-time market prices and understand the margins involved. The platform employs a seven-day bidding system for raw products and 1 month for processed products, where farmers upload their produce, and buyers bid for the commodities, ensuring competitive pricing. Farmers also have the option of adding their upcoming products which potentially generates interest among buyers and they get the time to plan for the consignments of the products they are interested in.

Importance of bulk selling and collective farming
NERACE primarily caters to large-scale buyers, such as organized bulk buyers, aggregators as well as exporters. NE-RACE does not dictate the prices or payment terms of any product. Sellers quote their price while adding their products and negotiation is done through the bidding process.

The sellers and buyers decide on the payment terms, which may be cash, online transfer, or payment through UPI. The buyers form the backbone of the supply chain, supplying wholesalers and ensuring a consistent market demand. However, Anar noted that transportation challenges in Nagaland make selling in small quantities costly. “If you are selling in small quantities, the price increases due to transportation costs. But in bulk, the transportation charges decrease, making the commodity price more competitive at National level.”

To maximize profits, farmers need to focus on large-scale cultivation. If that is not feasible individually, they should adopt a collective approach, where a group of farmers pool their produce and sell it together. “The more the quantity, the better it is for the farmers, as they get better prices and maximize their benefits.”

“The persimmon sold was obtained from a collective farm. In Pfutsero, each farmer harvests approximately 5-10 metric tonnes, but they operate as a group rather than as scattered individuals. They collectively designate one person to manage transactions, and that person coordinates with us.”

Overcoming farmer skepticism
Despite the advantages, farmer registration has been slow, with fewer than 50 farmers currently enrolled. Anar attributed this to past negative experiences where private agencies failed to pay farmers after taking their produce. “There is skepticism, but since this is a government-backed project, we are seeking government support to rebuild trust.”

However, the situation is gradually improving. “Now that successful transactions have taken place and awareness is spreading—particularly in areas where farmers have benefited—more are coming forward for registration. Many parts of Nagaland are still unaware of this initiative, but we will soon conduct registration drives in each district as per government guidelines.”

Anar emphasized the importance of farmer participation.

“This is a young, promising project, and we need to demonstrate to the government that our farmers are engaged so that we receive continued support. If farmers do not register, the government might not take notice. So far, registration is completely free, and I encourage farmers to take advantage of this opportunity. I am also actively connecting with various Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) in Nagaland.”

Farmers who have joined the platform have expressed optimism about its potential. “Many farmers are happy with NE-RACE because it provides a much-needed market connection. Until now, Nagaland has lacked structured market linkages, particularly in the Northeast region. Some villages have already begun expanding cultivation because they now have a market at their doorstep.”

Community-driven agricultural growth
Anar highlighted that community-led initiatives can play a significant role in boosting agriculture. In Pfutsero, the Chakhesang Women Society selects farmers annually and provides free saplings, particularly for persimmons and kiwis. Similarly, in Sakraba and Phesachodu, communities distribute saplings to farmers, independent of government assistance.

“These efforts have already yielded Rs 70-80 lakh in revenue. The market is here, and if more communities take the initiative in farming, it will lead to significant economic growth.”

Encouraging farmers to register, Anar said, “We don’t know how long this opportunity will last if we don’t show our response through registration. For the government to take this initiative seriously, I urge farmers, the FPOs and FPCs to register on the platform and make the most of this chance.”

(Interested people can contact the NE-RACE helpline at: +91 6913140000 or phone 8837241556 Whatsapp at +91 9612 829 357. More details can be read at: https://nerace.in)

MT