The Hindu Business Line : TNAU to launch market intelligence cell for farmers

Most commodity-related Web sites only indicate price-related information, but this one would give information on export procedures, export standards, infrastructure facilities, agri-export zones, food processing and post-harvest technology.

Coimbatore , May 8

A Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC) for the farming community is in the pipeline.The Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS) in the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here has proposed the establishment of DEMIC to disseminate price intelligence on agricultural commodities.

TNAU has joined hands with the National Informatics Centre to get the proposed Web site ready. The TNAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr C. Ramaswamy, said the site would become operational within the next fortnight.

The network will provide prices of agricultural produce , price forecast for major commodities, price behaviour, market trends, arrival information and export-import details, he said. "Most commodity-related Web sites only indicate price-related information, but this one would give useful information on export procedures, export standards for various agro-commodities, infrastructure facilities (in ports, air cargo, railways, rural godowns etc.), agri-export zones, food processing and post-harvest technology.

The site will be hyperlinked to related Web sites, he said.

The Director, CARDS, Dr N. Raveendran, said the information cell would collect data on arrival, prices and transactions of important agricultural commodities in the 50 regulated markets in Tamil Nadu and use the inputs for forecasting market-related information.

"We are planning to transmit the information to the regulated market through the Web," he said.

DEMIC is looking at collecting information on cash crops such as turmeric, maize, ginger, chilli and cotton.

Its maiden initiative has been in collecting data on the cotton market.

The forecast reveals that cotton prices would remain firm for the rest of the season in Tamil Nadu.

"Considering the significant expansion in cotton area, particularly under Bt cotton and the improved yield prospects for the 2004-05 crop season (estimated at 240 to 245 lakh bales), farmers must not expand the area any further.

"While the State would have to strengthen the per hectare productivity level to bridge the gap between supply and demand, the growers would have to reduce the cost of production," Dr Raveendran said.

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