Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched four major initiatives of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) in New Delhi on 23 June 2026, marking a significant push towards digital transparency and farmer welfare in the cooperative sector. The initiatives include the NAFEX.in e-auction platform, the DRISHTI inventory management portal, the Saksham Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, and the NAFED-KALYAN scholarship scheme for children of farmers. Together, these measures aim to eliminate middlemen, ensure farmers receive the full benefits of Minimum Support Price (MSP), and strengthen NAFED’s role as a technology-driven institution serving over 74 lakh farmers.
NAFED: From Turnaround to Transformation
NAFED was established on 2 October 1958 and is registered under the Multi State Co-operative Societies Act. It functions as the central nodal agency for implementing the Price Support Scheme (PSS) under the umbrella scheme Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), which was launched in 2018. Through PSS, NAFED procures pulses, oilseeds, and copra at the Minimum Support Price when market prices fall below the notified MSP, ensuring farmers get a fair return.
The organisation, which was on the verge of financial collapse in 2014, has staged a remarkable recovery over the past decade. With government support and transparent management, NAFED’s annual turnover surged from Rs 500 crore to Rs 30,000 crore in FY25, and its profits touched approximately Rs 500 crore. It now serves more than 74 lakh farmers across the country.
Speaking at the launch event, Shah noted that NAFED has expanded beyond procurement into organic farming, seed production, bio-fertilisers, retail operations, and international trade. He set a new target of Rs 50,000 crore in turnover for the federation in the coming years.
NAFEX.in: A Digital Auction Platform for Farmers
The NAFEX.in portal is NAFED’s own digital e-auction platform for the transparent sale of agricultural commodities, particularly pulses and oilseeds. Until now, NAFED relied on private platforms such as mjunction, NCDEX e Markets (NeML), and e-tech to auction approximately 20 lakh tonnes of commodities annually. These platforms charged a fee of about 0.03% of the total transaction value from buyers.
With NAFEX.in, NAFED now controls the entire auction process end-to-end. The platform enables transparent price discovery through competitive bidding, connects farmers directly with buyers, and ensures that payments are credited to farmers’ bank accounts within 48 hours of the auction. The portal was developed in collaboration with consulting firm Deloitte.
NAFED may also allow state-level cooperative federations and other agencies to conduct their e-auctions on the NAFEX.in platform, potentially making it a common digital marketplace for the cooperative sector.
NCCF to Launch Its Own Platform
Following NAFED’s lead, the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) plans to launch a similar e-auction platform embedded within its existing e-Samridhi portal. NCCF, established in October 1965 and headquartered in New Delhi, functions under the administrative control of the Department of Consumer Affairs. It serves as the apex body of consumer cooperatives in the country.
DRISHTI: Real-Time Tracking of Pulses and Oilseeds
The DRISHTI portal (Digital Real-time Inventory System for Holistic Tracking and Insights) is a dedicated inventory management platform designed to streamline the real-time tracking of pulses and oilseeds held by NAFED. The system provides end-to-end visibility into stock levels, warehouse locations, movement of commodities, and procurement data.
This digital tool addresses a long-standing challenge in agricultural procurement: the lack of accurate, real-time data on buffer stocks. With DRISHTI, policymakers and NAFED officials can monitor inventory positions at any given moment, enabling better decisions on market intervention, price stabilisation, and distribution. The portal is expected to significantly reduce information delays and improve the efficiency of the entire supply chain from procurement to auction.
NAFED-KALYAN: 1% Profit for Farmers’ Children Education
The NAFED-KALYAN scholarship scheme is a social welfare initiative under which NAFED will allocate 1% of its annual profits to fund higher education and career development programmes for children from farming families. Scholarship cheques were distributed to beneficiaries during the launch event itself.
This initiative links the commercial success of the cooperative directly to social outcomes. With NAFED currently posting profits of approximately Rs 500 crore annually, the fund is expected to provide meaningful financial support to thousands of students who might otherwise struggle to afford college education or professional training.
Shah described the scheme as a reflection of the cooperative sector’s commitment to ensuring that the benefits of economic growth reach farming households directly. The fund will help students overcome financial barriers in pursuing higher education and building professional careers.
Saksham ERP: Digital Backbone for Cooperative Governance
The Saksham ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is an indigenously developed software platform designed to integrate NAFED’s core business operations into a single digital framework. The ERP system connects procurement, warehousing, logistics, financial management, and human resources into one unified platform.
This digital overhaul is expected to bring greater transparency, faster decision-making, and data-driven governance to NAFED’s operations. By automating routine processes and providing real-time dashboards to management, the ERP system helps reduce inefficiencies and strengthens internal accountability. Managing Director Deepak Aggarwal noted that the three technology platforms, NAFEX.in, DRISHTI, and Saksham ERP, are interlinked and together form a comprehensive digital ecosystem covering the entire agricultural commodity lifecycle.
Two-Year Deadline for Direct Farmer Procurement
In a major policy direction delivered alongside the four launches, Shah directed NAFED and NCCF to procure every single grain of pulses and oilseeds directly from farmers within the next two years. This means cutting out the entire chain of intermediaries who currently operate between the farmer and these procurement agencies.
Shah stated that while the output of pulses and oilseeds has risen in recent years, self-sufficiency has remained elusive because the benefits of MSP were not fully reaching growers. He said the infrastructure for direct procurement of pulses, maize, and other crops has been developed over the last three years, and the network now needs to be taken to the grassroots level.
The Minister stressed that farmers should be able to sell their produce directly to NAFED and NCCF and receive payment directly into their bank accounts, with no middlemen taking a cut. The two-year timeline reflects the government’s urgency in restructuring procurement to ensure that farmers capture the full value of their produce.
The Road to Self-Reliance in Pulses and Oilseeds
The launch of these initiatives comes at a critical time for India’s agricultural trade balance. The country currently imports 6 to 7 million tonnes of pulses and 15 to 16 million tonnes of edible oils every year to bridge the gap between domestic production and consumption. In FY26, India’s pulse imports stood at about 5.6 to 6 million tonnes valued at approximately USD 3.6 billion, down from a record USD 5.5 billion in FY25.
To address this structural dependence, the Union Cabinet approved the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses in 2025, a six-year programme (2025-26 to 2030-31) with a financial outlay of Rs 11,440 crore. The Mission aims to expand pulses cultivation by an additional 35 lakh hectares, increase production to 350 lakh tonnes by 2030-31, and achieve self-sufficiency. Under this Mission, NAFED and NCCF are tasked with procuring 100% of the produce of tur, urad, and masoor at MSP from farmers who register with these agencies.
The four digital and welfare initiatives launched by Shah align directly with these larger national goals. By digitising auctions, tracking inventory in real time, improving internal governance, and investing in the education of farmers’ children, NAFED is positioning itself as a modern, technology-driven institution capable of leading India’s push towards self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds.
Key Takeaways
- Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched four NAFED initiatives on 23 June 2026: NAFEX.in, DRISHTI, Saksham ERP, and NAFED-KALYAN.
- NAFEX.in is NAFED’s own e-auction portal for pulses and oilseeds, replacing private platforms like mjunction and NeML, and ensuring direct farmer payments within 48 hours.
- NAFED-KALYAN allocates 1% of NAFED’s annual profits for higher education scholarships and career development of children from farming families.
- NAFED was established on 2 October 1958 and is headquartered in New Delhi, serving over 74 lakh farmers with an annual turnover of Rs 30,000 crore.
- Shah set a two-year deadline for NAFED and NCCF to procure pulses and oilseeds directly from farmers, eliminating middlemen entirely.
- India imports 6-7 million tonnes of pulses and 15-16 million tonnes of edible oils annually; the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (2025-31) aims to achieve self-sufficiency with an outlay of Rs 11,440 crore.
