Market Intelligence and Information Systems in Agriculture
- Market Information Systems (MIS)
Definition; A Market Information System (MIS) is a structured setup to collect, process, and disseminate data on agricultural prices, arrivals, demand, supply, and market conditions to farmers, traders, and policymakers.
It focuses mainly on data collection & sharing.
History & Facts
- 1970s → FAO promoted MIS in developing countries for small farmers.
- 2000 → AGMARKNET (Agricultural Marketing Information Network, India) was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.
- MIS has shifted from radio/TV price announcements → SMS → mobile apps & web portals.
Applications in Agriculture Extension
- Daily mandi prices (arrival & rates of commodities).
- Linking farmers to nearest mandis & warehouses.
- Providing information on inputs, weather, logistics, and government schemes.
- Reduces exploitation by middlemen.
- Examples in India:
- AGMARKNET (2000) – mandi prices from 3300+ mandis.
- e-NAM (2016) – online trading platform for transparent price discovery.
- Kisan Suvidha App (2016) – weather, market prices, input advisories.
- Market Intelligence (MI)
Definition
- Market Intelligence = The analysis and interpretation of market data to provide insights and forecasts about demand, supply, prices, consumer preferences, and export opportunities.
- It goes beyond information → adds prediction, planning, and decision support.
Applications in Agriculture Extension
- Price Forecasting → Advising farmers when and where to sell crops.
- Demand Forecasting → Helping farmers choose crops based on consumer trends (e.g., organic produce, millets, export crops).
- Policy Planning → Helps government design MSP, subsidies, and procurement policies.
- Reducing Post-harvest Losses → By aligning production with demand.
- Export Opportunities → Identifying global markets for spices, rice, fruits.
Examples in India
- AGMARKNET + AI tools → Price forecasting models.
- FASAL project (ISRO + MoA) → Forecasting crop production.
- ICAR-NAARM Price Forecasting Cell – forecasts prices for crops like onion, tomato, cotton, etc.
Key Difference: MIS vs MI
Aspect | Market Information System (MIS) | Market Intelligence (MI) |
Focus | Collection & dissemination of raw data | Analysis, interpretation, and prediction |
Nature | Descriptive (what is happening) | Predictive (what will happen) |
Output | Daily mandi prices, arrivals, inputs info | Price forecasts, demand trends, policy support |
Example (India) | AGMARKNET, e-NAM | NAARM Price Forecasting Cell, FAO Market Intelligence |
In short:
- MIS = Data collection + Sharing (present information)
- MI = Analysis + Prediction (future trends)
