The Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to fix a problem that has long limited farmer income: fragmented, local mandis that left little room for competitive pricing, scientific storage, or direct market access. ISAM brought together several older, standalone schemes — including the Grameen Bhandaran Yojana and the Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Grading and Standardization scheme — into one coordinated programme covering storage, market infrastructure, grading, and digital trading. Its most visible outcome is e-NAM, the National Agriculture Market, which by February 2026 had connected 1,656 mandis across 23 states and 4 Union Territories, with over 1.80 crore farmers registered and more than ₹4.82 lakh crore worth of produce traded since inception.

ISAM Scheme Overview

• Scheme Name – Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM)
• Scheme Modification Date – Continuation of the AMI sub-scheme of ISAM approved by the Ministry up to 31 March 2026; e-NAM platform operating since 2016 with ongoing expansion (1,656 mandis integrated as of February 2026)
• Scheme Fund Allocated – Component-wise: AMI sub-scheme offers 25% to 33.33% back-ended capital subsidy on eligible project cost, generally capped at ₹25 lakh (general category) or ₹30 lakh (special categories); exact yearly outlay for other components is set through Annual Action Plans
• Type of Scheme – Central Government (Centrally Sponsored/Central Sector components), implemented through the Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI), NABARD (for AMI subsidy release), and the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) for e-NAM
• Helpline No – Kisan Call Centre, 1800-180-1551; e-NAM specific queries can be raised through the enam.gov.in portal helpdesk or the nearest e-NAM mandi
• States Covered – All-India; e-NAM currently spans 23 States and 4 UTs, with AMI subsidy available to eligible promoters in all States/UTs

Objectives of the Scheme

• Enhance farmers' income through improved market access, reduced post-harvest losses, and stronger marketing infrastructure
• Create scientific storage capacity and promote pledge financing against warehouse receipts
• Integrate physical mandis into a unified, technology-driven national market through e-NAM
• Strengthen farmer-consumer linkages by upgrading rural haats into Grameen Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) and integrating them with e-NAM
• Promote grading, quality standardisation, and primary processing to help farmers get better, more transparent prices

Key Components of ISAM

• Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) – A capital investment subsidy sub-scheme (merging the earlier Grameen Bhandaran Yojana and AMIGS schemes) supporting storage godowns/warehouses, cold storages (up to 1,000 MT), packing/grading units, reefer vans, and Integrated Value Chain (IVC) projects up to the primary processing stage
• National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) – A pan-India online trading platform integrating physical wholesale mandis for transparent, competitive online trading of agricultural commodities, with real-time price discovery, quality assaying, and direct payment to farmers' bank accounts
• Marketing Research and Information Network (MRIN) – Supports market information systems that help farmers and traders make informed selling decisions
• Strengthening of Agmark Grading Facilities (SAGF) – Improves quality grading infrastructure for agricultural produce
• Agri-Business Development (ABD) – Provides Venture Capital Assistance (VCA) and Project Development Facility (PDF) support for agribusiness ventures
• Choudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM) – The scheme's dedicated training and research institute for agricultural marketing professionals

AMI Subsidy Structure

• 25% of project capital cost for general category promoters in plain areas
• 33.33% of project capital cost for North Eastern Region, hilly areas, Women entrepreneurs, SC/ST promoters, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
• Subsidy generally capped at ₹25 lakh for general beneficiaries and ₹30 lakh for special category beneficiaries (FPOs, Panchayati Raj Institutions, women entrepreneurs, SC/ST promoters)
• Storage infrastructure of 50-5,000 MT capacity is eligible for private entities/cooperatives, and 50-10,000 MT for state agencies
• Subsidy is back-ended and credit-linked — released through NABARD to the financing institution after the project is completed and verified

ISAM Benefits to Farmers

• Access to a nationwide online marketplace through e-NAM, with real-time price discovery across mandis within 100 km, route maps, and prevailing prices to help decide where to sell
• Direct transfer of sale proceeds to the farmer's bank account, reducing dependence on intermediaries
• Subsidised support for building or upgrading storage infrastructure, reducing distress sales during peak harvest
• Quality assaying facilities, including AI/ML-based testing in select mandis, to enable fairer, faster price bidding
• Better integration of village-level rural haats into the formal marketing network through GrAM upgrades
• Free registration on e-NAM, with no fees charged to farmers for signing up or trading

Eligibility for ISAM Benefits

• For e-NAM: any farmer, including small and marginal holders, can register as a seller, provided they have basic identity, bank, and address documentation
• For AMI subsidy: eligible promoters include individuals, agri-preneurs, farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, state agencies, NGOs, and other entities undertaking eligible storage or marketing infrastructure projects
• AMI projects must have a term loan sanctioned by an eligible financial institution (from 22 October 2018 onwards for the current sub-scheme) to qualify for subsidy release through NABARD
• Special category status (NER, hilly areas, SC/ST, Women entrepreneurs, FPOs) is required to access the higher 33.33% AMI subsidy rate

Limitations of the Scheme

• AMI subsidy is credit-linked, meaning a term loan must first be sanctioned by an eligible financial institution before subsidy can be claimed — it isn't a direct grant
• Subsidy is capped at ₹25 lakh (general) or ₹30 lakh (special category), so larger infrastructure projects must be funded mostly through the promoter's own contribution and loan
• e-NAM coverage, while extensive, is still limited to mandis that have been integrated onto the platform — not every local mandi is yet connected
• Full benefit of e-NAM depends on farmers having basic digital literacy and access to a smartphone or assistance at the mandi to use the platform effectively
• AMI's continuation has historically been extended in phases (currently approved up to 31 March 2026), so scheme continuity depends on periodic government renewal

Documents Required

• Aadhaar Card
• Bank account passbook or cheque leaf, with the account name matching Aadhaar exactly
• Any government-issued identity proof
• Land ownership or cultivation proof (for certain marketing infrastructure applications)
• Project report and term loan sanction letter (for AMI subsidy applicants)

How to Access ISAM Benefits

1. To register on e-NAM: visit enam.gov.in or your nearest e-NAM-integrated mandi, select "Register as Farmer," choose your state and nearest APMC mandi, and complete Aadhaar-based OTP verification.
2. Enter your bank account number and IFSC code, ensuring the name matches your Aadhaar record exactly, along with basic personal details.
3. Once registered, bring your produce to the mandi, where a Lot ID is generated for buyers to bid on; you can track and accept bids through the e-NAM app or portal.
4. For AMI subsidy: first apply for a term loan from an eligible financial institution for your storage or marketing infrastructure project.
5. Within 90 days of the first loan instalment, the financial institution applies for an Advance Subsidy through NABARD's ENSURE portal.
6. NABARD sanctions and releases the subsidy to the financial institution; the remaining back-ended subsidy is released after project completion and verification.

Conclusion

ISAM has quietly reshaped how Indian farmers sell and store their produce — from bringing millions of farmers onto a single digital trading platform through e-NAM, to funding the scientific storage infrastructure that keeps produce from spoiling or being sold in distress. With e-NAM now connecting over 1,600 mandis and the AMI sub-scheme continuing to support storage and processing infrastructure, ISAM remains one of the most practical tools for improving both the price farmers get and the losses they avoid after harvest. Registering on e-NAM costs nothing and takes only a few steps, making it one of the more accessible entry points into this scheme.

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Scheme details, interest rates, and subvention amounts are subject to periodic revision by the Government of India, RBI, and NABARD. Farmers are advised to verify the latest terms and eligibility criteria with their bank, NABARD, or official government sources before applying.