New Delhi, Apr 26 (IANS): Direct marketing has helped decongest the mandis besides facilitating timely marketing of farm produce during the lockdown, the Union Agriculture Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

According to the statement, various states have adopted the direct marketing route. The farmers have started selling their farm produce directly to the processors in Rajasthan as the state government has issued over 1,100 direct marketing licences to the processors during the lockdown that's in place to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Similarly, direct linkages established by the FPOs with farmers and traders in Uttar Pradesh have saved wastages and directly benefitted the farmers as they supply the farm produce to consumers in cities.

Further, the state has facilitated in establishing linkages with FPOs and the Zomato food delivery app, thereby ensuring smooth distribution of vegetables to the consumers.

The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had sent a letter on April 16 to the Chief Ministers of all the states reiterating the need for direct marketing through cooperatives/farmer producer organisations (FPOs) etc. and encouraged all the stakeholders and farmers to adopt this process.

The department also issued an advisory to the states to promote direct marketing without insisting for licensing procedures and facilitate the farmers in timely marketing of farm produce.

Karnataka has exempted cooperative institutions and FPOs in the state for engaging in wholesale trade of agricultural produce outside the market yards, while Tamil Nadu has exempted market fee on all notified agricultural produce.

Uttar Pradesh has allowed trading in e-NAM platform from farm gate and promoted issuance of unified licence to processors for direct purchase from farmers and also allowed FPOs to undertake procurement operations of wheat.