The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference at Subramaniam Hall, NASC Complex, IARI Campus, PUSA New Delhi today. The two-day global conference will have sessions on all important issues related to millets (Shree Anna) like promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers and other stakeholders; millets’ value chain development; health and nutritional aspects of millets; market linkages; research and development etc. 

 

The Prime Minister also inaugurated and visited the Exhibition cum Buyer Seller Meet Pavilion. He also unveiled a Commemorative Stamp and Commemorative Coin. This was followed by the Prime Minister digitally launching a compendium of Indian Millet (Shri Anna) startups and a book of millet (Shri Anna) standards.

 

International leaders conveyed their messages on the occasion. President of Ethiopia, H.E. Sahle-Work Zewde congratulated the Government of India for organizing the event. She said that millets provide an affordable and nutritious option to feed the people in these times. Ethiopia is an important millet-producing country in Sub-Saharan Africa. She underlined the utility of the event for highlighting the policy attention needed for the propagation of millets and studying the suitability of the crops as per their ecosystem.  

 

H.E. Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana said that India has assumed global leadership in promoting the cause of millets and in doing so it is placing its expertise for the use of the rest of the world. He said that the success of the International Year of Millets will go a long way in achieving SDGs. Guyana has recognized millets as a key factor in ensuring food security, he informed. Guyana is embarking on a collaboration with India for scalable production of millet by earmarking 200 acres of land for exclusive millet production where India will provide technical guidance and support with technology. 

 

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone on the organisation of the Global Millets Conference and said that such events are not just a necessity for the global good but also a symbol of India’s responsibilities towards the global good. Highlighting the importance of turning a resolution into a desirable outcome, the Prime Minister reiterated that the year 2023 was declared the International Year of Millets by the United Nations after persistent efforts by India. He expressed delight that India's campaign is a significant step in this direction when the world is celebrating the International Year of Millets. The Prime Minister highlighted that brainstorming sessions will be held on topics such as the farming of millets, millets economy, health benefits, and farmers’ income among others with the active participation of Gram Panchayat, Krishi Kendras, schools, colleges and agricultural universities along with the Indian embassies and several foreign countries. He also informed that more than 75 lakh farmers are virtually connected to this programme today. The Prime Minister also highlighted the unveiling of a commemorative coin and a postal stamp to mark the occasion along with the book launch on millet standards and the declaration of the Indian Institute of Millets Research of ICAR as a Global Centre of Excellence.

 

The Prime Minister asked the delegates to visit the exhibition at the venue and understand all the dimensions related to millet farming under one roof. He expressed his appreciation for the youth’s initiative to bring startups for millet-related enterprises and farming. 'This is an indication of India’s commitment to millets', he said. 

 

The Prime Minister informed the foreign delegates about India’s branding initiatives for millets as India now calls millets - Shree Anna. He elaborated that Shri Anna is not limited to just food or farming. Those acquainted with Indian tradition will understand the importance of prefixing Shree before anything. 'Shree Anna is becoming a medium of holistic development in India. It is linked with Gaon as well as Garib (Village and the poor)'. Shree Anna- a door to prosperity for the small farmers of the country, Shree Anna - the cornerstone of nutrition for crores of countrymen, Shree Anna - felicitation of Adivasi Community, Shree Anna- getting more crops for less water, Shree Anna - a big foundation for chemical-free farming., Shree Anna - a huge help in fighting climate change,' he added.  

 

Underlining the consistent efforts of the government to turn Shree Anna into a global movement, the Prime  Minister informed that millets were declared nutri-cereals in 2018 where work was carried out on all levels from making the farmers aware of its benefits to generating interest in the market. The Prime Minister noted that millets are primarily cultivated in 12-13 different states in the country where at-home consumption per month per person was not more than 3 kilograms whereas the consumption has increased to 14 kilograms per month today. He also informed that the sale of millet food products has also seen a boost of roughly 30%. He also noted the inception of millet cafes apart from social media channels dedicated to recipes on millets. 'Millets have also been selected in 19 districts of the country under the ‘One District, One Product’ scheme', Shri Modi added.

 

Informing that about 2.5 crore small farmers are directly involved in the production of millets in India, the Prime Minister noted that they faced the challenges of climate change even though they own very little land. 'India's Millet Mission - The campaign for Shri Anna will prove to be a boon for 2.5 crore farmers of the country', the Prime Minister said. He pointed out that it is the first time after independence that the government has taken care of 2.5 crore small farmers who grow millets. Noting that millets are now reaching stores and markets through processed and packaged food items, the Prime Minister underlined that the income of these 2.5 crore small farmers will increase when the Shree Anna market gets a boost, thereby giving strength to the rural economy. The Prime Minister informed that more than 500 startups working on Shree Anna have come up and a large number of FPOs are also coming forward in the last few years. He also pointed out that a complete supply chain is being developed in the country where women from self-help groups in small villages are making millet products that are making their way into malls and supermarkets. 

 

Highlighting India’s motto of One Earth, One Family, One Future for the G-20 Presidency, the Prime Minister underlined that considering the whole world as one family is also reflected in the International Millet Year. 'India has always given priority towards the feeling of duty towards the world and the resolve to serve humanity', the Prime Minister said. Giving the example of Yoga, the Prime Minister said that India has ensured that the benefits of Yoga reach the whole world through International Yoga Day. He expressed delight that today yoga is being promoted in more than 100 countries of the world and more than 30 countries in the world have given recognition to Ayurveda as well. He also threw light on the International Solar Alliance and said that it is working as an effective platform for building a sustainable planet where more than 100 countries have joined the movement. 'Be it leading the LiFE mission or achieving climate change goals ahead of schedule, India draws inspiration from its heritage, drives change in society, and brings it to the fore of global well-being', the Prime Minister remarked as he noted that a similar impact can be witnessed in India's ‘Millet Movement’ today. Giving examples of Shree Anna such as Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Sama, Kangni, Cheena, Kodon, Kutki, and Kuttu that are prevalent in different regions of India, the Prime Minister said that millets have been a part of the lifestyle in India for centuries. The Prime Minister emphasized that India wants to share its agricultural practices and its experiences related to Shree Anna with the world while also learning from other countries. He specially requested the Agriculture Ministers of the friendly nations present here to develop a stable mechanism in this direction and emphasized that a new supply chain should be developed with shared responsibilities from field to market and from one country to another.

 

The Prime Minister also highlighted the climate resilience of millets and informed that they can be easily produced even in adverse climatic conditions. He informed that it is a preferred crop for water-stressed areas as it requires relatively less water to produce. He also noted that millets can be grown naturally without chemicals and thereby safeguards the health of both humans and the soil.

 

Touching upon the food security challenges faced in the world of today, the Prime Minister highlighted the challenge of food security for the poor in the Global South and diseases linked to food habits in the Global North. 'On one hand we have the problem of food security, and on the other hand the problem of food habits', he said as he pointed out the concerns about heavy use of chemicals in the produce. The Prime Minister remarked that Shree Anna provides solutions to every such problem as it is easy to grow, its cost is also less in this, and it gets ready for cultivation faster than other crops. The Prime Minister listed the benefits of Shree Anna and said that it is rich in nutrition, special in taste, high in fibre content, very beneficial for the body and health, and helps in preventing lifestyle-related diseases. 

 

'Millets bring with them endless possibilities',  the Prime Minister remarked. Informing that the contribution of Shree Anna to the national food basket in India is only 5-6 percent, the Prime Minister urged the scientists and experts in the agriculture sector to work towards increasing this contribution and suggested setting achievable targets for every year. He also noted that the country has also started a PLI scheme to give a boost to the food processing sector. The Prime  Minister emphasized the need to ensure that the millet sector gets maximum benefit from it, and more companies come forward to make millet products. He also added that many states have included Shree Anna in their PDS system and suggested that other states follow suit. He also suggested including Shree Anna in the mid-day meal so that children can get proper nutrition while also adding a new taste and variety to the food.

 

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that all these issues will be discussed in detail and a roadmap will also be prepared for implementation. 'With the joint efforts of the farmers and all stakeholders, food will add a new shine to the prosperity of India and the world', the Prime Minister concluded. 

 

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for External Affairs, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal and Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary and Ms Shobha Karandlaje were present on the occasion among others. 

 

Background

 

Based on India’s proposal, the year 2023 was declared the International Year of Millets (IYM) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to make the celebrations of IYM 2023 a ‘people’s movement’ and position India as the ‘global hub for millets’, all central government ministries/departments, states/UTs, farmers, start-ups, exporters, retail businesses and other stakeholders are being engaged to promote and spread awareness about the benefits of millets (Shree Anna) for the cultivator, consumer and climate. The organization of the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in India is an important programme in this context.

 

The two-day global conference will have sessions on all important issues related to millets (Shree Anna) like promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers and other stakeholders; millets’ value chain development; health and nutritional aspects of millets; market linkages; research and development etc. The conference will be attended by Agriculture Ministers of various countries, international scientists, nutritionists, health experts, start-up leaders and other stakeholders.

Union Agriculture Minister addressed the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in New Delhi today, where the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was the chief guest during the Inaugural Session.

 

In his address, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar said the International Year of Millets (IYM) – 2023 will provide an opportunity to increase global production, efficient processing and better use of crop rotation and promote millets as a major component of the food basket.

 

Shri Tomar said that on the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM). He added that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is working in mission mode to increase millet production and consumption in collaboration with other Central Ministries, all State Governments and other stakeholders.

 

Shri Tomar said, Millets provide an alternative food system in times of increasing demand for vegetarian foods as it contributes to a balanced diet as well as a safe environment and described them as the gifts of nature to mankind. He said, Asia and Africa are the major production and consumption centers of millet crops, particularly India, Niger, Sudan and Nigeria are the major producer of millets and it his earnest desire to see that Millets should take pride of place in every eating plate in the globe.

 

Millets were the first crops to be cultivated in Asia and Africa, later spreading as an important food source for advanced civilizations around the world.

 

Earlier, Shri Tomar said that it is a matter of great pleasure for him to meet the President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the beginning of this New Year, 2023 and wished and prayed for the wellbeing of the people of Guyana. Shri Tomar also thanked Dr Ali for being the Chief Guest at the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention held at Indore on 8-10 January 2023 and extended his heartiest congratulations to the President for receiving the prestigious Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar held bilateral meetings today with Agriculture Ministers of various countries participating in the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference. An MoU was also signed with the World Food Programme  (WFP) of the United Nations. Meanwhile, Shri Tomar thanked the ministers for being a part of the global conference organized by India with the aim of promoting Shree Anna, under the International Year of Millets (IYM). He said that the International Year of Millets is being celebrated so that the Indian Shree Anna, its recipes and value-added products are accepted globally as a people's movement. He hoped to further strengthen India's agricultural ties with various countries.

 

In a meeting with Guyana's Agriculture Minister Mr. Zulfikar Mustafa, Union Minister Shri Tomar recalled the visit of the President of Guyana, Dr. Mohammad Irfan Ali and Vice President Bharat Jagdev to India and said that agriculture is a very important area of cooperation between the two countries. Expressing happiness over the steady progress in India-Guyana relations, he hoped for concrete cooperation in Agriculture and allied sectors. Shri Tomar congratulated Guyana for the huge crude oil discovery, saying that this would enable Guyana to establish itself as a major energy exporter, which has the potential to transform the lives of its people. Expressing immense potential for cooperation in Agriculture and Agro-Processing Industries between India and Guyana, he said that the two countries complement each other as Guyana has vast arable land and water availability and India has the technology, expertise and skilled manpower, which will mutually benefit both the countries. India is keen to share its expertise and experience in the development of agriculture and allied sectors in Guyana, for which an MoU is under finalisation. He assured that Guyana's request for deputation of two experts to ITEC from India for three years to support the Guyana Sugar Corporation management and revive the sugar estates/plants in Guyana would be considered at the earliest.

 

Shri Tomar, in a meeting with Suriname's Minister of Agriculture, Shri Parmanand Prahlad Sewdien, said that India and Suriname share close, warm and friendly relations, which have been strengthened by cultural and people-to-people contacts over the course of 150 years. He wished success to the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Suriname, and expressed confidence that the official visit of President Santokhi to India in January 2023 would take our bilateral relations to a new high. Expressing happiness and pride, he said that Hindi is spoken on a large scale in Suriname. Like India, Suriname is also a country of multi-ethnicity and diversity, where people live in peace and harmony. As per the discussion held during the second meeting of the Joint Working Group on Agriculture, Shri Tomar hoped that the draft Joint Action Plan for 5 years (2023-27) would be ready soon and said that we will provide wood export facility from Suriname to India. India's exports of agri-related goods to Suriname in 2021-22 was USD 4.34 million. There are more possibilities to increase trade and investment, especially in agro-food processing. Under India's flagship programmes, development partnership, India is committed to provide technical assistance to Suriname as needed, contribute to capacity building and skill development of human resources. Shree Anna is the ideal solution to make countries self-reliant and reduce dependence on imported grains. India can start agricultural cooperation projects, if offered by Suriname, as well as depute agricultural scientists under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programs to conduct studies for the cultivation of Shree Anna in Suriname.

 

In a meeting with the Agriculture Minister of Zambia, Mr. Reuben Mtolo Phiri, Union Minister Tomar said that India and Zambia have had cordial relations for a long time. The leaders of Zambia's freedom struggle drew inspiration from the leaders of India's freedom struggle, especially Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji continues to inspire its leaders and the younger generation in Zambia. Zambia is one of the few African countries that has benefited greatly from India's development cooperation programme. India provides scholarships for various higher education courses and ITEC training slots as well as special capacity building programs under the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) along with Exim Bank credit, Railway Wagons, Flood Relief Grant and Line of Credit. Zambia, with its rich natural resources, has become an important destination for Indian investments in various sectors. India is one of the leading investors in Zambia with committed investments of over US$ 5 billion. Bilateral trade between India and Zambia has been growing steadily. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in India for trade and investment with Zambia, but again logistics and the small size of Zambia's economy remain the main constraints and limiting factors.

 

In a meeting with Mauritius' Minister for Agri-Industry and Food Security, Mr. Manish Gobin, Shri Tomar said that India shares close, long-standing ties with Mauritius for historical, demographic and cultural reasons. People of Indian origin comprise about 70% of the island's population of 1.2 million. Mauritius is one of the few important countries with which independent India established diplomatic relations even before the independence of Mauritius in 1948. There is a high level of trust and mutual understanding between the leaderships of the two countries, which is reflected in continued high-level political engagement. This special relationship has resulted in exceptionally close cooperation in maritime security, development partnership, capacity building and cooperation in international fora. The enduring cultural and people-to-people relations between India and Mauritius are nurtured by the Indian Cultural Center in Mauritius (India's largest in the world) and the World Hindi Secretariat, a bilateral organization for the promotion of Hindi. India is among the largest trading partners of Mauritius. Bilateral trade grew by 69% to reach USD 786.72 million in 2021-22.

 

The topics of agriculture were discussed in the meeting between Shri Tomar and Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, Agriculture Minister of Sri Lanka. Shri Tomar said that a significant proportion of the population in India and Sri Lanka depend on agriculture and both sides have very similar priorities for taking this sector forward. Thus cooperation between the two sides in the agriculture sector becomes natural. India has traditionally been one of Sri Lanka's largest trading partners and Sri Lanka is one of India's largest trading partners in SAARC.

 

During the global conference, the MoU between WFP and the Government of India for cooperation between 2023-2027 was signed in the presence of Agriculture Minister Shri Tomar. During this, Mr. Manoj Juneja, Deputy Chief Executive Director, Management and Chief Financial Officer of UNWFP and Ms. Elizabeth Faure, WFP Representative and Country Director in India were present. The MoU will be jointly implemented by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. Shri Tomar lauded the work of WFP in promoting food self-sufficiency and supporting governmental and global efforts to ensure long-term solutions to the challenge of hunger. He thanked the WFP for being a part of the Global Millets Conference and expressed the hope that the partnership between WFP and the Government of India will yield fruitful results to achieve our goals.

 

Shri Tomar at the live cooking counter and ice cream made from Shree Anna:

 

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, who arrived at the exhibition organized during the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference organized as part of the International Year of Millets - 2023, relished the delicious ice cream made from Shree Anna and complimented its stall operator for this innovation. Shri Tomar also prepared an Asian salad with the Indian Shree Anna at the live cooking counter of the Indian Federation of Culinary Association and tasted it himself as well as served it to Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary and Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja among others. The dignitaries also visited other stalls. Students from schools and colleges have gathered to see the exhibition. Thousands of children came here during the last two days.

Under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India has organized the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference today at Subramaniam Hall, NASC Complex, Pusa Road, New Delhi to stimulate the exports of millets from India and provide market linkage to the producers. 

 

Around 100 Indian millet exhibitors from different parts of the country and around 100 international buyers from various countries like the USA, UAE, Kuwait, Germany, Vietnam, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Bhutan, Italy and Malaysia have been invited to the Conference. This conference provides an excellent opportunity for trade and networking among the participants. APEDA requested 30 potential millet importing countries to send their major buyers for this conference to visit the exhibition and travel around the stalls of 100 exhibitors of unique products of millets. Additionally the details of all the millet exhibitors under different categories in the exhibition area have been displayed digitally through which the importers can source millets directly from this list of Indian millet producers. The Virtual Trade Fair (VTF) is operational 24X7 365 days wherein exhibitors and buyers can interact based on the products displayed in the VTF.

 

The conference will also feature a series of informative sessions, including keynote, and presentations in a digital platform. These sessions will focus on various aspects of millet and its value-added products, processing, packaging, and export potential providing valuable insights for both exhibitors and buyers.

 

The event is expected to generate a significant impact on the millet industry, further promoting its growth and development in the global market. The Conference organised by APEDA provided a platform for B2B meetings between International and National Buyers, Exporters, Progressive Growers, FPOs of millets to explore direct marketing and export opportunities for millets and its value-added products.

 

India’s export of Millets is 64 million USD in the year 2021-22. There is an increase in export of Millets by 12.5 % during the period April-December 2023 as compared to the same period last year. Export of millets has witnessed a change in paradigm in the last decade. The major importing countries were USA, Australia, Japan, Belgium etc in 2011-12 which had been shifted to Nepal (USD 6.09 million), UAE (USD 4.84 million) and Saudi Arabia (USD 3.84 million) in 2021-22. Kenya, Pakistan were also among the potential import destinations of India in the last decade. The other seven destinations in the current top-ten list of India’s millet export are Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, UK, Yemen, Oman and Algeria. India is exporting millets to 139 countries across the globe. The export of value-added products of Indian millets are also spread across the world. 

 

Today India has the potential to lead the world as a key player in the global supply chain of millet & its value added products. APEDA in the forefront with the mandate of export promotion of agri products of the nation selected these unique products from the nutritional millet basket & displayed in the global market targeting to bring a global millet revolution. APEDA participated in the opening ceremony of the International Year of Millets 2023 organised by FAO at its HQ in Rome, Italy displaying different varieties of Millets and value added Millet products. APEDA organised a Buyer-Seller Meet for export promotion of Millets at Jakarta, Medan, Nepal, Brussels , Belgium. In addition, Virtual Buyer Seller Meet was organized with Malaysia, EU, UAE, Malaysia, Japan and Algeria.

 

An exclusive millet gallery was set up during GULFOOD 2023 wherein start ups, new entrepreneurs, FPOs, exporters, women entrepreneurs displayed their millet products to give wide publicity to the Indian millets & its value added products before the importers across the world and 5000 participant companies from 125 countries.

 

APEDA in association with Indian Missions abroad promoted Indian millets during the Republic Day celebrations. Millets products were sourced from various Start ups and sent to Embassy of India in various countries like Doha, Qatar, Italy, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Malaysia, Russia, Tokyo, Indonesia, Republic of Korea Saudi Arabia, Perth, Denmark, Argentina, Egypt, Canada, Guatemala, Algeria and China for promotion during the Republic Day celebrations.  

 

APEDA has formulated a robust strategy focussing to expand the global basket with millets and its value-added products to achieve USD 100 million targets by 2025 with monumental efforts to broaden global reach. India is marching ahead in the International Year of Millets 2023 with a basket of nutritiously rich Indian Millets – popularly known as Shree Anna in the global market. 

 

India is flourishing the nutritious millet basket with a range of innovative value added products of millets. APEDA in collaboration with Indian Institute of Millets Research and respective State Agricultural universities has incubated more than 200 start-ups to develop a range of millet based value-added products, Ready to Eat , Ready to Cook and Ready To Serve products, easy meal solutions as wholesome food suitable for all age groups. 

 

India is the largest producer of millets. The country is enriched with a wide range of millets produced in major millet-growing states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, etc. India produced 17.96 million Metric Tonne (MT) of Millets. Millet grown in India are Pearl Millet, Sorghum, Finger Millet and minor Millets like Proso Millet, Kodo Millet, Little Millet, Foxtail Millet, Browntop Millet, Barnyard Millet, Amaranthus and Buckwheat. The Indian government has also been promoting Millet production as part of its National Food Security Mission. As a result of these factors, millet production in India is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

 

As we are progressing ahead in IYOM 2023, India is enriched with unique varieties of value added products of millets which range from millet pizza base, millet ice creams, ice cream cones and cups, millet cakes & brownies, breakfast cereals, traditional Indian dosa, poha, upma, pasta, noodles millet milk, tea, consumable millet tea cups that are so environment friendly that they can either be consumed directly or utilized as feed/fodder. 

 

A lot of value-added products have been created with millets such as Idli, Dosa, Idiyappam, Roti, Puttu, Upma, Porridge, Chapati, Pancakes, Vermicelli upma, Pasta, Noodles, Macaroni, Semolina/Suji, Muesli, Instant mixes, Mudde as Breakfast items, Halwa, Adhirasam, Kesari, Nutritious ball, Payasam/Kheer as Sweets, Vada, Pakoda, Murukku, Bhelpuri, Boli, Pappads, Ready to eat mixes, Flakes, Puffs, Millet Laddus, Millet rusks as Snacks and some bakery products like Bread, Cake, Cookies, Soup sticks,Edible biscuit cups, Health bars, Spreads, Muffins, etc. Beverages like Beer, Soups, Malted millet-based beverage, Germinated Ragi drink mix, Multigrain drink mix, Ready to drink beverages have also been created with millets. In addition to these, some other food items created with millets include Biryani, Weaning foods/infant foods, Chat mixes, etc.

 

APEDA has shown to the world the nutritious millets that India has to offer. The journey in the promotion of Millet has made a positive impact showing pick up in millet exports. Gearing up to take India from a leading producer to the leading exporter of Millets, contributing towards a prosperous future for millions of Indian farmers across the country and making valuable additions to achieve food & nutritional security. The journey has just begun to bring the goodness of Indian Millets to the global consumer. 

Driven by village-level milk co-operative societies, India’s annual milk production will touch 330 million tonnes and contribute 33 per cent to the global milk output by 2033-34, said Union Minister for Home and Co-operation Amit Shah.

 

Addressing the Indian Dairy Association (IDA)‘s 49 th Dairy Industry Conference & Expo at Gandhinagar, Shah stated that Ministry of Co-operation, jointly with National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of India, will set up Gramin Dairies (or primary milk producers’ society) across two lakh panchayats in the country.

 

'Once this happens, Indian dairy sector’s annual growth rate will jump from 6.6 per cent recorded in the past decade, to 13.80 per cent,' he said.

 

Dairy stats

He further said, 'Our milk processing capacity is around 126 million litres per day, highest in the world. About 22 per cent of the total milk produced goes for processing. Whatever milk is processed and exported, will help increase farmers’ incomes. There is an immense potential in dairy products exports such as milk powder, butter and ghee. We have created a multi-state co-operative society for exports. Once the integration of 2 lakh dairy societies with export co-operative happens, our exports will increase at least five-fold,' he said. Currently, India’s dairy exports are estimated at around Rs.47,000 crore.

 

He also noted that between 1970 and 2022, India’s population has increased four-fold, but milk production has increased by ten times. During the same period, India’s per capita milk consumption has increased from 107 grams per day to 427 grams, which is far ahead of the global average of 322 grams per day. 'We should not be satisfied by being the world’s largest milk producer. We must also strive to become the world’s biggest dairy exporter,' the country’s first co-operation minister said.

 

Shah added that India’s dairy co-operatives provided a platform to the rural poor and women for marketing their milk produce. 'There are about 9 crore families directly connected to the dairy sector. This means 45 crore people who are connected with this profession,' said Shah.

 

Budgetary sops needed

In his address, RS Sodhi, President, IDA, requested the Union Minister to consider giving due importance to the dairy sector in the Budget allocations. 'Dairy sector contributes about 30 per cent to the agriculture economy. Whereas budgetary allocations for dairy is only two per cent. A budgetary assistance can be useful for the long-term support to dairy farmers.'

 

Addressing the gathering, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said, 'Gujarat has been a model of overall development and is also a leader in the dairy industry with a 20 per cent share in the country’s milk production. Dairy farmers must look for value addition, and focus on the quality of milk and milk products for sustainable growth.' IDA’s Conference, being held in Gujarat after 27 years, also saw prestigious awards including the Dr Kurien Award, IDA Patron Award, and IDA Fellowship Awards, conferred to candidates.

Ministerial Round Table of Millets was held post-inaugural session of the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference held today in New Delhi. Ministers from Guyana, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname & Zambia; Permanent Secretary, Agriculture of Gambia & Maldives and Director General, Millets Initiative, Nigeria participated in the meeting. Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India welcomed the delegates attending the meet.  

 

India is holding today the first Mega Global Event in the form Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in Delhi to celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM). The aim of United Nations to declare 2023 as International Year of Millets on India’s initiative is to elevate awareness of Shree Anna (millets) for food security and nutrition, enhance investment in R&D and extension, and to inspire stakeholders towards improving production, productivity and quality of millets. Major millets producing countries have to play major role in promoting the millets for ensuring world food and nutritional security.

 

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated this global event in the presence of Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, besides Union Ministers Shri Piyush Goyal and Shri Mansukh Mandaviya and MoS Shri Kailash Choudhary. Visiting Ministers of other countries graced the inaugural function and gave messages for their countries. During the Inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister unveiled a Commemorative Stamp and Coin on IYM 2023. He digitally launched a Book on Millets (Shree Anna) Standards. PM Modi also declared ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research as a Global Centre for Excellence.

 

In his Opening Remarks at the Ministerial Round Table, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar highlighted India's role in Shree Anna promotion, being the largest producer and second largest exporter of millets in the world. During last 5 years, India is producing millets in the range of 13.71 to 18.02 million tonnes.  In order to promote millets and meet the additional demand of millets, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals (Millets) under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in 212 Districts of 14 States since 2018-19. India exported 1,04,146 metric tonnes of millets during the export year 2022-23 (April to November) worth Rs. 365.85 crores. This export is bound to increase post-IYM celebration.

 

India has always been a pioneer in recognizing values of ancient practices, in the form of food, culture and traditions, said Union Agriculture Minister. In millets too, just like our culture, a lot of diversity is found like Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, Sawan, Kangni, Cheena, Kodo, Kutki & Kuttu. Shree Anna are a rich source of protein, fibre & minerals like iron, calcium and have a low glycemic index. Many people even call it a Superfood. Millets have many benefits, not just one. Along with reducing obesity, they also reduce the risk of diabetes, hypertension and heart related diseases. Malnutrition is still a menace for human health particularly in under developed and highly populated countries. Millets are also very beneficial in fighting malnutrition, since they are packed with energy as well as protein.

 

Today a lot is being done to promote millets in India. Along with focusing on research and innovation in production, farmers associations namely FPOs are being encouraged, so that, aggregation, production and processing can be increased. Shri Tomar expressed happiness at operation of many start-ups in millets with government support. Some of these are making Millet Cookies, while some are also making Millet Pancakes and Dosa. There are some that are making Millet Energy Bars and Millet Breakfasts. The ‘Mighty Millets’ are the solution to the future world to ensure the global food & nutritional security, prosperity of the farmers and revitalization of Mother Earth.

 

Shri Tomar urged world leaders to recognize this super grain which has become masked and forgotten. The Government of India aims to make IYM 2023 a people’s movement for the overall benefit of the Cultivator, Consumer and Climate. Shri Tomar said he looks forward to very useful interactions with World Food Ministers. The experience shared will be very useful in bringing more closer linkages among major millets producing countries.

 

The visiting ministers from major millets producing countries shared the experience of their respective countries in promoting production, consumption and branding of millets. A lot needs to be done for enhancing production, consumption, value addition and processing of millets all over world. All leaders appreciated the lead role of India in bringing millets to world food table and looked forward to India for technological support. They all favoured closer linkage among major millets producing countries. All countries desired that India should provide good seed of improved varieties of millets, help in establishing small scale mechanization and capacity building.

 

All Ministers supported promotion of indigenous millet crops in their countries to free people from wheat addiction. They suggested that millets should be declared priority crops and set agenda in all the international meetings. Some countries like Guyana which are not traditional millets growing have shifted to millets cultivation due to awareness created by International Year of Millets. India assured these countries to provide all knowledge, technology and capacity building.

 

Senior officers from Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Indian Council of Agriculture Research attended the meet. Joint Secretary (IC) thanked the ministers and other dignitaries from various millet producing countries.

India and the European Union (EU) on Saturday concluded the fourth round of talks for a comprehensive free trade agreement in Brussels, a move aimed at further strengthening economic ties between the two sides. The next round of the talks is planned for 12-16 June here.

 

India and the 27-nation bloc resumed negotiations on June 17 last year after a gap of over eight years on the proposed agreements on trade, investments and Geographical Indications (GI).

 

'Round 4 of India EU-FTA negotiations held at Brussels,' Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce has said in a tweet. She is India's chief negotiator for the agreement.

 

India had started negotiations for a trade pact with the EU in 2007 but the talks stalled in 2013 as both sides failed to reach an agreement on key issues, including customs duties on automobiles and spirits and the movement of professionals.

 

India's merchandise exports to EU member countries stood at about USD 65 billion in 2021-22, while imports aggregated USD 51.4 billion.

 

A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.

AgLive 2023 – The Millet Challenge,’ aimed at making an impact by increasing interaction amongst millet-based innovators/entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders, was held as part of  the  Global Shree Anna Conference in New Delhi today, addressing issues and challenges specific to millets. Young entrepreneurs and innovators pitched their millet based innovative products and technologies  before a distinguished Jury, comprising of Business leaders, Incubators and Investors to mobilize funding and secure potential incubation opportunities.

 

Mr. S Sivakumar, Chairman, CII Core Group on AgTech and Group Head, Agri & IT Businesses, ITC Ltd; Dr. Neeru Bhooshan, Assistant Director General, Intellectual Property & Technology Management (IP&TM) ICAR; Mr Prashant Parameswaran, Managing Director, Tata Consumer Soulfull Private Ltd; Mr. Subhadeep Sanyal, Partner, Omnivore Partners; Mr. Emmanuel Murray, Investment Director, Caspian Impact Investment; Mr. Gaurav Kumar, Director, Mandala Capital; Dr Mijanur Rahman, Director, R&D, PepsiCo; Ms Mahima Joshi, Senior Portfolio Analyst, Social Alpha; Mr Rohit Dhanda, AVP, Capital Markets & Strategic Alliance, Samunnati Financial Intermediation & Services Pvt. Ltd and Mr Jagdeep Marahar, Managing Director and Head, Nestle R&D Centre India Pvt Ltd were eminent members of the Jury.

 

10 innovators from a pool of 50 applicants were shortlisted and were evaluated on parameters including novelty of idea, reach & scope of the products, financial stability amongst others.

 

The winner AgroZee Organics Pvt Ltd focuses on  providing a cost-effective and sustainable post-harvest storage solution for Farmers, Farmer Producer Companies, SHGs, and Entrepreneurs for optimizing moisture content and removal of insects in millets.

 

Some More Foods Pvt. Ltd, the First runner up, focuses on delivering nutritious functional food prepared by millets by replacing unhealthy ingredients in popular food products like noodles, pasta, sevai, cookies etc with healthier ingredients.

 

Grans’s Goodness, the Second runner up is a growing Made in India, food venture that offers millet-based, healthy, and nutritious food to health-conscious  consumers.

An amount of Rs 900 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre for holistic development of the agriculture sector in Jammu and Kashmir, a government official said, participating in a 'Kisan Mela' here. The day-long Mela evoked a massive response with over 900 farmers and other stakeholders including agri startups turning up to know about the latest scientific farming techniques and different government schemes.

 

Director Agriculture production and farmers welfare department said besides educating farmers and agri-Startups about the latest developments, the event has been organised with a focus to encourage farmers to adopt cultivation of Millets.

 

'The central government has sanctioned Rs 900 crore for holistic development of the agriculture sector with focus on doubling the income of farmers in J&K,' he said.

 

The Kisan Mela, inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Paul Mahajan, was held at community Hall, marking the beginning of agricultural activities after prolonged winter in the hilly district.

 

The stalls, which were set up, showcased advanced farm technologies, indigenous farming methods and other innovative techniques developed by various companies, startups owners and progressive farmers.

 

'We are planning to completely switch over to Millets by 2047 to meet the demands of the coming generations,' Sharma said.

 

Progressive farmers and agri-Startups expressed gratitude to the government for organising the event at the beginning of agricultural season in the district.

 

'I have been practising organic farming for the past 20 years. I grow Quinoa, buckwheat, red paddy, vegetables and apples among others and I am aware of the fact that organic farming leads to environment protection, good soil health, saves water and reduces input cost.

 

'For seed treatment and insect-pest and disease management, I only use organic manure,' farmer Balwan Singh (64) of Chirala said.

The CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, will come up with a comprehensive plan to promote production and value-addition of millets on sustainable lines by the year-end, according to C Anandharamakrishnan, Director.

 

He was addressing a session of the Millet Conclave titled ‘Shree Anna’, a One Week One Lab programme launched by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The Millet Conclave is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, that showcases achievements of each of the 37 constituent laboratories of CSIR.

 

Critical hurdles

The cultivation, value-addition and promotion of millets faces critical hurdles, and CSIR-NIIST has been working to address these issues, Anandharamakrishnan said. Extension of field-level technology to augment production and scientific processes for value-addition and shelf-life need to be addressed urgently. A database to take promotional projects forward is essential. Since millet cultivation remains complex and labour-intensive, field-level machines are vital to scale up production, he said.

 

Ajith Kumar Shasany, Director, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow, said world-class facilities offering food processing technologies should be created to achieve quality produce, benefiting both the farming sector and industry.

 

Quality, taste, shelf life

M Loganathan, Director (i/c), National Institute of Food Processing Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, Thanjavur, said apart from providing institutional support to farmers, the creation of incubation facilities is also vital. 'Quality, taste and shelf life are three key parameters for the commercial success of millet products, for which a growing market is available in India and abroad,' he said. Ashok S Alur, Director, Centre of Excellence for Farmer Producer Organisations, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bengaluru, said this is the opportune time for India to augment and mainstream millet production and consumption. If scientists, promoters and policy-makers come together to support farmers, India could emerge as a major global millet cultivation hub.

 

Panel discussion

A panel discussion on promoting millet cultivation and value-addition, included Lalita Goyal, Senior Principal Scientist, Directorates-Interface-CSIR, New Delhi; Meera MS, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru; Vikram Sankaranarayanan, Director, Borne Technologies, Coimbatore; KP Sudheer, Head, RAFTAAR, KAU, Thrissur; and MG Malleshi, Chief Scientist (Rtd), CSIR-CFTRI. The speakers included S Nagesh, Chief, Agriculture Division, Kerala State Planning Board; Jimmy Jose, Head-HR & Corporate Communication, Synthite Industries; Deepthi Nair, Director, Coconut Development Board; Ramesh Babu N, Scientist, Spices Board; and Shrinivasan Ramasamy, CEO, Apex Coco and Solar.

The Food Safety and Standards of India (FSSAI) released a compendium on millet standards on Saturday at the Global Millet (Sri Anna) Conference. Recently, the food safety authority notified for the first time a comprehensive set of group standards for 15 millet varieties as well as for millet products. These norms will come into effect from September.

 

This includes standards for pearl millet flour, jowar flour, ragi flour and mixed millet flour.

 

In his address at the Global Millet Conference, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Minister for Health and Family Welfare said, 'One way to promote millets in a scientific way in the country is to set regulatory standards. FSSAI has for the first time set a comprehensive group of standards for all 15 varieties of millets that we produce in our country. This will ensure the quality of millet and millet products in the country.'

 

M Angamuthu, APEDA Chairman, said: 'This will help us in getting better value realisation and brand building.'

 

FSSAI officials said since there are many millets that are native to India, standards for them have been set for the first time. 'Africa has standards for some millets, while Codex has standards only for sorghum and bajra. So many millets are native crops of India. For instance, ragi does not have standards in the US. India has for the first time published a comprehensive group of standards for millets,' a senior official at FSSAI said.

 

The compendium also explains the general benefits of millets, how much one can consume per day, and how to include them in our diets, among other information.