Agri Minister Tomar to Host ‘Millet-Only’ Lunch for MPs on Dec 20, PM Modi to Attend

Millets are now grown in over 130 countries and are the traditional food of over a billion people in Asia & Africa. The major producers of jowar are the United States, China, Australia, India, Argentina, Nigeria, and Sudan. Another important millet crop is bajra, grown primarily in India and some African countries.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend this lunch on the grounds of the Parliament. According to sources, special chefs from Karnataka have been brought in to prepare ragi specialties such as Idli and ragi Dosa.

Rotis will be made out of ragi and Jawar and will be served to the member of Parliament to promote Millet eating Culture, added the sources. Bajra and Jowar Khichdi and Bajra Kheer are two other dishes.

The United Nations has designated 2023 as the International Year of Millet, at the request of Prime Minister Modi (IYOM). Millet was designated as a nutritious cereal by the Indian government in April 2018, and it is also included in the Poshan Mission campaign.

A nutritious cereal component for millet is being implemented in 212 districts across 14 states as part of the National Food Security Mission (NFMS).

Millet crops are primarily produced and consumed in Asia and Africa. Millet is primarily grown in India, Niger, Sudan, and Nigeria.

In 112 and 35 countries, respectively, jowar and proso millets (common millet) are the most cultivated millets. Sorghum and pearl millet account for more than 90% of total area and production. Ragi (Finger Millets), Cheena (Proso Millets), Foxtail Millets (Kangni), and other non-segregated millets account for the remainder of production.

Millet production in India is dominated by Kangni, Kutki or small millet, Kodon, Gangora or Barnyard, China, and Brown top, as well as Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, and small millets. Most Indian states grow one or more millet crop species. Our country produced more than 13.71 to 18 million tonnes of millet in the last five years, with the highest production in 2020-21.