Millets get a leg up as year-long festivities kick in

India, the largest producer of millets in the world, will see a host of events in various States to bring millets back on people’s menus.

The National Year of Millets, though starting very late, will see chefs, farmers, millet start-ups, trade bodies and media taking part in exclusive sessions to spread the word among consumers on the ‘nutri-cereals’.

Besides aiming to increase the acreage under millet crops, a five-year plan to promote the crops grown in rain-fed areas seeks to enhance the consumption to create demand for the grains.

It also seeks to increase awareness among rural and urban masses on nutritional and health benefits of millets.

National Millets Day

Ashok Dalwai, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rainfed Area Authority, has said the festivities will begin on September 28 in Pune, when Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh will formally inaugurate the the National Year of Millets.

It has been decided to celebrate November 16 as National Millets Day.

The Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) hosted a national meet here on Saturday where stakeholders from the public and private sectors discussed and finalised the roadmap to conduct the National Year of Millets.

“The demand for value-added products of millet should be increased by 2-3 fold. We need to build a sustained brand for millet products,” said Vilas A Tonapi, Director of IIMR.

The national mission targets to double production to 31.74 million tonnes across all millet family crops.

The kick-off in Pune will be followed by national media and social media campaigns. Brand ambassadors will be roped in to get more eyeballs for the promotional activities.