Jitendra Joshi Chair, FICCI Millet Task Force shares his thoughts with Agrospectrum on the background of the International Year of Millets.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has conceptualised a dedicated Task Force on Millets. The vision of the Task Force is to facilitate impactful partnerships to make the millet value chain more remunerative for farmers, beneficial to consumers, efficient and globally competitive. The Task Force works in tandem with the government’s vision of celebrating the International Year of Millets (IYOM) and organising several activities in 2023. Jitendra Joshi Chair, FICCI Millet Task Force shares his thoughts with Agrospectrum on the background of the IYOM.
What is the current status of the millet industry in India?
Millets are nutritionally rich, easy to cultivate and sustainable, farmer-friendly crops without any environmental impact.It is high time that we revive the brand of millets and foster resilient food systems. Millet is crucial for food and nutritional security, and promotes biodiversity while empowering farmers of not just our nation but also of the entire globe.
India is among the top 5 exporters of millet in the world. According to recent data by Trade Map, world export of millet has increased from $400 million in 2020 to $470 million in 2021. India exported millets worth $75.46 million in 2022-23, against $62.95 million in 2021-22.
Millets are the pearls of India and the United Nations celebrating 2023 as the International Year of the Millets (IYOM) is a great step towards making a sustainable Indian product as a lifestyle product on a global platform.
In the past few years and more so in 2023, there has been an increased focus on Millets from many startups, large food corporations and other stakeholders in the food chain to bring innovation to this sector with the latest technologies, recipes and products for domestic and international consumers. Proactive efforts of the government in celebrating IYOM-2023 has supported all these endeavours of different stakeholders to make Millets a really happening industry.
Do you think the millet industry in India is facing any challenges?
Millets can be grown with the least resources, are climate-resilient crops and given the advantages, farmers are preferring to grow millets. The acreage and output have increased as a result of the adoption of high-yielding hybrid varieties and improved production techniques.
As for challenges, farmers are often unaware of the nutritional benefits and potential market demand for millets, which can deter them from cultivating these crops. Consumers may not be familiar with millets or their uses in daily diet, making it challenging to increase millet consumption. Farmers may face challenges in accessing markets and connecting with buyers, resulting in limited opportunities to sell their millet produce. Millet-based products often have shorter shelf lives compared to refined grains like rice or wheat, limiting their marketability. Research and innovation are needed to develop value-added millet products that meet consumer preferences and demands.
Insufficient processing and storage infrastructure for millets can hinder their efficient handling and distribution, impacting the overall supply chain. Investors may not be fully aware of the economic potential of millet-related ventures, leading to a lack of investments in the sector. The absence of suitable processing equipment for different types of millets can result in inefficiencies and higher processing costs.
Research should focus on developing millet varieties with specific attributes, such as longer shelf life or better baking qualities, to meet consumer demands. Collaborating with culinary experts can help create appealing millet recipes and products that cater to diverse consumer preferences, increasing millet adoption. Establishing quality testing labs is essential to ensure that millet grains meet quality standards, build consumer trust, and enable compliance with regulations.
Addressing these challenges will require coordinated efforts from farmers, government agencies, research institutions, investors, and the private sector to unlock the full potential of millets in agriculture and nutrition.
How is Corteva contributing to the growth of the millet industry?
Corteva hybrid millet seeds result in a 15 per cent -20 per cent higher yield and provide disease resistance and early maturity hence high stress tolerance.
These high-quality seeds assist in lowering disease pressure, resulting in increased productivity and farmers have easier access to early matured seed hybrids.
The synchronisation of the millets value chain is a critical requirement for scaling millets. Moreover, collaborative participation from all the stakeholders, starting from seed companies to farmers and chefs to markets and finally the consumers themselves.
With the government propagating millet cultivation and increasing demand, it is important to note that especially for minor millets, mostly smallholders and women farmers are involved, thereby leading to a need for skilling and capacity building.
One key issue for the industry is getting consistent quality in supplies as raw material, as farm sizes are small and most of the time, aggregation is done at the village level. This also makes the use of traceability technologies tougher.
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