To empower the agricultural sector of the North Eastern Region (NER), the government has successfully operationalized the North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity e-Connect (NE-RACE) portal. This digital initiative serves as a bridge, creating direct market linkages between the region's farming community—including Self Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and cooperatives—and buyers across India. The platform aims to eliminate intermediaries and ensure better value realization for local produce.
The platform has facilitated sales worth ₹895.56 lakh, proving its economic viability.
A total of 6,807 sellers, including farmers and producer companies, have been onboarded.
The portal currently lists 1,797 different agri-commodities from the region.
735 buyers from various parts of the country are actively using the platform to procure goods.
The portal has shown significant traction in specific states like Sikkim, enhancing the "Vocal for Local" initiative through robust digital infrastructure and support systems.
- Sikkim's Performance: Buyers from Sikkim have procured 130 metric tons of produce, with a transaction value of ₹54.40 lakh. Additionally, 251 local farmers have registered on the app.
- Support Ecosystem: To ensure smooth operations, NE-RACE provides a multi-lingual helpdesk and helpline services. State Coordinators are deployed to assist with onboarding and resolving field-level logistics issues.
- Future Expansion: The Ministry has identified International Buyer–Seller Meets as a key strategy to further expand the market reach for North East produce.
This data was provided by Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, the Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. He emphasized that the platform is designed to improve the market preparedness of farmers and strengthen their access to national digital markets.
Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB) Date: 05 FEB 2026
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