National Conference on Millets

Why in the News?

The National Conference on Millets was conducted by ASSOCHAM along with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

About

• The production of coarse cereals in the country has increased to 17.96 million tonnes in 2020-21 from 14.52 million tonnes in 2015-16 and the production of bajra (pearl millet) has also increased to 10.86 million tonnes in the same period

• India is now the 5th largest exporter of millets globally

2.Significance of millets:

• Millets have a long history in India and they can be grown well in dry areas or even on lands with deficient and low fertility

• Due to their short growing season, millets can develop from seeds to ready-to-harvest crops in just about 65 days and this characteristic of the millets is of vital importance in thickly populated regions of the world

• It is also highly nutritious and offers multiple health benefits

• They can last for two years or more if stored properly

• The major millet producing states in India include Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana