Farmers motivated to grow millet

Dhenkanal: Forgotten food like millet is nutritious and its value-addition gives a variety of tastes and creates market demand, said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra while inaugurating the district-level International Symposium on Shree Anna and Forgotten Foods at Old Zilla Parishad conference hall here on Sunday. ”We have encouraged district administration to motivate farmers to grow millet,” he said.

Dhenkanal district is producing 22,000 quintals of millet in Bhuban, Hindol, Odapada, Parjang and Kankadahad blocks. This year, the district administration has set a target to produce 30,000 quintals of millet. Farmers and entrepreneurs are making a variety of value-added millet-based products which have wider acceptance. The entrepreneurs have opened millet cafes on different office premises. Food items like millet cake, pitha, millet tea, biscuits, cookies, millet puff and ragi sticks are served, said Chief District Agriculture Officer Subrat Padhi.

Various farmer producers’ organisations exhibited millet-based food items at different stalls in the venue. Five farmers were felicitated for their contribution to millet promotion. Zilla Parishad president Archana Puhan and other dignitaries were present.