Bhubaneswar: Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday urged agricultural scientists to create high-quality millet seeds to transform it into a profitable crop, encouraging farmers to shift their focus towards it. Speaking at an international symposium on Shree Anna (Millet) and Woman Farmer during ‘Mandia Divas’ (Millets Day), Chouhan remarked, “Farmers are seeking crops that yield better financial returns. Thus, it is our challenge to make millet a lucrative crop to attract farmers to its cultivation.” He noted that Odisha has made significant strides by increasing millet production from 6 quintals per hectare to 12 quintals, surpassing the national average.
“Nonetheless, there remains considerable work for our scientists to enhance the quality of millet seeds and lower cultivation costs to boost production. We will persist in our efforts moving forward,” he stated. He highlighted the importance of processing the crop to ensure that farmers, particularly women, reap maximum benefits at the grassroots level. Chouhan also called for states to procure millets from farmers to promote the crop, mentioning that “Odisha is the only state in India procuring millets from farmers at a minimum support price (MSP).” He noted that Odisha has included millet in the mid-day meal scheme for schoolchildren, suggesting its expansion to other states to foster healthy habits among children.
Chouhan commended the Odisha government for taking a leading role in millet promotion, pledging to elevate the Odisha model to the national level and to other states. He cautioned that fertilizers, chemicals, and pesticides harm human health, soil health, and contribute to climate change, advocating for a shift towards organic farming, with millet cultivation as a step in that direction. He assured that the Indian government would extend full support to the state for further millet promotion. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi noted that millet cultivation began on approximately 30,000 hectares and has now spread across all 30 districts.
Once regarded as a tribal food, millet, or ‘Mandia,’ has been promoted as a ‘super food’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, benefiting tribal and women farmers. The Odisha government has initiated a millet mission and is providing an input subsidy of Rs 26,500 per hectare to farmers, Majhi added. Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo emphasized that Odisha offers comprehensive support to millet farmers, stating, “Millets are not only deeply rooted in our soil but also in our culture and tradition. Women farmers are the heart of our agricultural legacy, having preserved seeds and biodiversity across generations.”
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