The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has organized a two-day Millet Mahotsav in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, from March 3-4, 2023. Prof. SP Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Law and Justice, officiated at the event. Several dignitaries attended the event, including Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
Baghel stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's consistent efforts resulted in the United Nations declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, putting India at the forefront of championing this initiative and establishing a strong name for millets on a global scale. Baghel identified the International Year of Millets as the appropriate time for Krishi Antyodaya (Upliftment of Farmers). He stated that Millets is frequently associated with a poor lifestyle, and that there is a need to raise awareness in order to change this perception.
The Minister, who is also a Member of Parliament from Agra, thanked the Ministry of Food Processing Industries for the Millet Mahotsav initiative and for selecting Agra as one of the districts to host the event. Uttar Pradesh is India's largest producer of food grains, accounting for approximately 18.89% (58.32 million MT) of total food grain output in 2020-21. Uttar Pradesh produced 21,71,836.00 MT millet in fiscal year 2019-20. Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Kodo, and Barnyard Millet are the most common millets grown in Uttar Pradesh. Sorghum and Pearl Millet are the most common millet varieties grown in the Agra district.
Agra produced 99 MT of sorghum and 2,93,964 MT of pearl millet in 2019-20. Speaking about the cultural impact of millets, Baghel stated that for the first time since independence, millet-based Khareed Kendras have been established in the country, and that such initiatives will contribute significantly to the IYoM initiative. He also discussed Millet's nutritional benefits and how it has helped to control health issues such as diabetes.
Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, informed the audience that the government is organizing Millet Mahotsavs in 20 states and 30 districts across the country, with these districts representing key regions involved in millet processing. Agra produced 99 MT of sorghum and 2,93,964 MT of pearl millet in 2019-20.
Speaking about the cultural impact of millets, Baghel stated that for the first time since independence, millet-based Khareed Kendras have been established in the country, and that such initiatives will contribute significantly to the IYoM initiative. He also discussed Millet's nutritional benefits and how it has helped to control health issues such as diabetes.
Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, informed the audience that the government is organizing Millet Mahotsavs in 20 states and 30 districts across the country, with these districts representing key regions involved in millet processing. He also informed the stakeholders about the Ministry of Food Processing Industries' various initiatives to support the food processing sector, emphasizing the role of the PMFME Scheme in empowering micro-food processing enterprises by providing financial, technical, and business support across the value chain.
The two-day event was meant to bring all the stakeholders of the food processing sector with a special focus on millets, on a common platform and encompassed a wide range of activities like exhibition and sale of various millet-based products, live kitchen, millet recipe demonstration, cooking competition, painting competition, sharing of success stories, informative sessions on millet processing, interactive sessions between industry experts and micro food processing enterprises, SHGs, FPOs engaged in food processing followed by cultural programs.
In addition to the Millets Mahotsav, the Ministry is organizing a mega-food event World Food India 2023 from the 3rd to the 5th of November 2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi to provide a unique platform for all stakeholders to interact and have a dialogue, including producers, food processors, equipment manufacturers, logistics players, cold chain players, technology providers, academia, start-up & innovators, food retailers, and so on.
The event is expected to be the largest-ever gathering of dignitaries, global investors, and business leaders from major global and domestic food companies, firmly establishing India on the global food landscape.
