Parliament Question: North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity e-Connect (NERACE) app

Government of India Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 678 To be answered on Thursday, February 5, 2026/ 16 Magha, 1947 (Saka) QUESTION North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity e-Connect (NERACE) app 678 Shri Dorjee Tshering Lepcha:

Shri Surendra Singh Nagar:

Shri Rajib Bhattacharjee:

Will the Minister of Development of North Eastern Region be pleased to state:

(a) the current status of implementation of North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity e- Connect (NERACE) app, including the number of farmers, traders and agri-commodities onboarded since its launch in July 2024;

(b) the volume and value of agri-produce transactions facilitated through the platform and its impact on farmers’ income in Sikkim;

(c) the extent to which multilingual support and helpline services are being utilised by farmers across Sikkim; and

(d) the steps taken or proposed to expand the app’s outreach, integrate logistics and export linkages and strengthen digital market access for farmers in Sikkim? ANSWER The Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Sukanta Majumdar]

(a) The North Eastern Region Agri-Commodity E-Connect (NE-RACE) portal is fully operational and facilitates market linkages between farmers/Farmer Producer Organisations/ Self Help Groups/Cooperatives of the North Eastern Region (NER) and buyers across the country. As on 23.1.2026, 6807 sellers/ farmers/Farmer Producer Companies and 735 buyers have been onboarded, with 1797 agri-commodities listed on the platform. The total value of sales facilitated through the portal stands at ₹895.56 lakh.(b) The NE-RACE platform has significantly benefited farmers of North Eastern States including Sikkim by strengthening their access to national markets and enabling direct buyer– seller linkages.Through the NE-RACE portal, buyers from Sikkim have procured 130 metric tons of agri-produce valued at ₹54.40 lakh.

(c) The multi-lingual helpdesk and helpline services under NE-RACE are utilised for farmer onboarding and operational support in Sikkim. As on 23.1.2026, 251 farmers from Sikkim have been onboarded on the portal.

(d) Five outreach and onboarding programmes have been conducted in the State of Sikkim as on 23.1.2026. Further, International Buyer–Seller Meets are among the measures identified for enhancing outreach.

The NE-RACE platform supports buyer–seller matchmaking and provides logistics-related guidance through a multi-lingual helpdesk, field-level support, and State Coordinators, who assist in onboarding, resolving operational issues, and facilitating communication. These measures aim to strengthen digital market access and improve market preparedness of farmers in Sikkim.

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