B2B e-commerce firm mjunction facilitates e-auctions of onions and sugar for government agencies

New Delhi: mjunction services, a B2B e-commerce joint venture between Tata Steel and SAIL, has tied up with various government agencies to conduct digital e-auctions of agricultural commodities aimed at controlling price rises and improving market availability.

The company has facilitated the sale of over 3,200 tonnes of onions on behalf of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF). With onion prices strengthening from July, the government initiated the release of onion stocks into major markets to moderate prices.

mjunction was entrusted to conduct e-auctions for these stocks across key markets, including Delhi-NCR, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Kolkata. Through its digital platform, the company provides a structured auction process where registered buyers compete for available stocks. This competitive bidding enables market price discovery, while electronic transaction records ensure transparency and accountability.

To execute the onion sales, mjunction mobilised field teams, engaged with traders in major mandis, and registered prospective buyers. The company also introduced specific platform features to meet the operational requirements of onion sales. With daily auctions and payments collected within a few hours, coordination between technology, field, and operations teams enabled the successful distribution of stocks.

In addition to onions, mjunction has extended its agricultural e-auction services to sugar. The company conducted auctions for sugar on behalf of the Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (HAFED), undertaking targeted market outreach across Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh to engage potential buyers.

Sugar is offered through the platform in lorry-wise lots. Following auction approval, buyers receive an online delivery note and complete payment on the same day, connecting bidding, payment, and delivery into a structured process.

Vinaya Varma, MD and CEO of mjunction services, noted that when government agencies release agricultural commodities into the market, transparency in the selling process is as important as the speed of execution, particularly for perishable commodities like onions where delays can create operational challenges. He added that these assignments reflect the company's growing capabilities in addressing the diverse requirements of agricultural commodity markets.

mjunction's clients and partners in this sector include the Food Corporation of India, NAFED, NCCF, Telangana Civil Supplies, HAFED, and the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation. The platform maintains a network of over 12,000 registered bidders across commodities such as rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, sugar, animal feed, and finished agricultural products.

"The integration of digital e-auctions in agricultural supply chains demonstrates how B2B platforms can efficiently solve large-scale distribution challenges for government bodies. By ensuring transparency, rapid price discovery, and same-day settlements, technology-driven marketplaces can streamline the handling of essential and perishable commodities like onions and sugar, ultimately contributing to better market stability and wider buyer reach." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes