In a move to boost the income of farmers, the Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department, with the help of the Central government, is converting 21 markets into e-markets in Tripura to sell agricultural products across the country, a minister said on Thursday.

Inaugurating the newly constructed market at Kulai and a Village Knowledge Centre at Noagaon in Dhalai district, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced that processes are now on to convert 21 markets into e-markets in Tripura.

He said that the state has a total of 554 agricultural markets and 84 wholesale markets, including primary wholesale markets. Out of these 84 wholesale markets, 21 are agri-produce markets.

“The BJP government has been in power for seven years. We believe that just agricultural production is not enough. The markets should be developed so that the products produced can be marketed in the same way as industrial products. Before 2018, the government had spent Rs 20.20 crore for market development. But in the last seven years, we have spent Rs 303 crore. This proves how this present government is working for the farmers,” said the Minister.

He informed that the department would convert 21 markets into e-markets across Tripura under the Electronic National Agriculture Market scheme.

The minister said that this plan is initiated by the Central government so that farmers, by sitting at home and uploading pictures of their products with quantity, can sell them across the nation at proper prices.

Nath said that the Tripura government has taken steps to add these 21 markets to the e-market gradually. At first, seven markets in Panisagar, Pabiachara, Kulai Bazar, Teliamura, Mohanpur, Sonamura, and Santirbazar will be brought under the e-market system, he stated.

After that, 12 more markets, including Dasda, Bachaibari, Kalyanpur, Champaknagar, Bishalgarh, Jampuijala, Melaghar, Barpathari, Natun Bazar, Ganda Twisa, and Chawmanu, would be added.

According to the minister, each market would have an office, an auction platform, drinking water facilities, stalls, a laboratory, a grading and sorting system, a weighing system, and a warehouse.

For the first seven markets, the state government has received Rs 2.10 crore from the Central government.

“Our main aim is to double the income of farmers and ensure that they get the proper price for their products. The main base of development and economy of our state is agriculture,” the minister stated.