On Wednesday (February 1), Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid special emphasis on millet cultivation in the country during her Union Budget 2023-2024 speech in Parliament.
“India is the global hub for millet or Shri Anna. India is at the forefront of popularising millets whose consumption furthers nutrition, food security and welfare of farmers, said the Prime Minister,” she informed.
“We are the largest producer and second-largest exporter of Shri Anna in the world. We grow several types of Shri Anna such as jowar, ragi, bajra, kuttu…These have a number of health benefits and have been an integral part of our food for centuries ” the Union Finance Minister emphasised.
Making India the global hub for Millets! #AmritKaalBudget pic.twitter.com/eVB3h2vpuW
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) February 1, 2023
“I acknowledge with pride, the huge service done by small farmers in contributing to the health of fellow citizens by growing this Shri Anna,” Nirmala Sitharaman added.
She further emphasised, “Now to make India a global hub for Shri Anna, the Indian Institute of Millets Research in Hyderabad will be supported as the centre of excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level.”
While presenting the Union Budget last year, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “2023 has been announced as the International Year of Millets. Support will be provided for post-harvest value addition, enhancing domestic consumption, and for branding millet products nationally and internationally.”
Massive boost to millet cultivation under PM Modi
The Indian government, led by the Prime Minister, proposed the ‘International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023’, which was approved by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The declaration has allowed the Indian government to take the lead in celebrating IYM 2023. PM Modi has made it clear that he wants to use the opportunity to make the event a “People’s Movement” and make India the “Global Hub for Millets.”
In India, millets are grown as a Kharif crop, requiring less water and other agricultural inputs than other staples. Millets are crucial due to their potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers’ income, and ensure food and nutritional security globally.
Recognising the immense potential of millet, which aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Indian government has made them a priority.
Millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals” in 2018, the same year it was declared the National Year of Millets, to increase promotion and demand. The global millets market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2021 to 2026.
On December 6, last year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations hosted the opening ceremony for the International Year of Millets 2023 in Rome in Italy.
In January 2023, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and DA&FW participated in a trade show in Belgium, showcasing the diversity of Indian millets through ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook millet-based products marketed by Indian companies.
