India's Farming Economy to E-Commerce

The Indian government has approved spending 2 billion rupees ($31 million) to start an online market this year for trading agricultural commodities, aimed at helping farmers get higher prices. Such a move "would provide better prices to farmers, improve supply chain, reduce wastages and create a unified national market through provision of the common e-platform," says Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh. Currently, farmers sell their produce at the 585 mandis, or wholesale markets, spread across the country. Once the online market is rolled out, these mandis would be integrated with the new platform, allowing for easier and transparent trade, Singh says. (vibhuti.agarwal@wsj.com)