Mumbai joins the Millet Bandwagon Karnataka Agri minister takes the Millet movement to Mumbai

Screenshot_20171217_142327Mumbai, December 12, 2017 (GPN) : In a bid to strengthen the ‘Millet Movement’ across the country, Karnataka Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda elucidated the benefits of millets and encouraged the masses to opt for the same as an alternate food at the Organic&Millet Road Show at Mumbai. The event was organized at the Taj Land’s End, Bandra, by the Agriculture Department, Government of Karnataka in association with ASSOCHAM and present at the conference were corporates, including Godrej Nature Baskets, Parle Agro, Herballife, Unilever, Marico, Haldirams, Badshah masala, Kelloggs, Future Consumers, Godrej Nature Baskets, Godrej Tyson, The Leela, ITC Maratha, BEC Foods, Aditya Birla and many more.

Karnataka is taking its Millet Revolution lock, stock, and barrel to the rest of the country, with the Karnataka State Minister for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda reiterating about the ‘Organics & Millets 2018- International Trade Fair’, scheduled to be held at Palace Grounds, Bengaluru, from January 19 to 21 and then reaching out to other states for a collaborative approach to promote this super food that can benefit the farmers, the environment and the people.

Millets are not only super food they are great for the environment as well. They are a produce that grows even in marginal lands, with low rainfall. These environment-friendly crops are low cost and require 70% less water than rice to grow and, are being cultivated in an area of about 30 million acres in India. But the lack of awareness about this nutritional powerhouse has brought a low market demand.

Recently, Karnataka Agriculture Minister, Mr Krishna Byre Gowda pitched the idea to the United Nations, via the UNFAO through an official visit to Rome, for declaring the year 2018 as ‘International Year of Millets’. A suggestion, if agreed, will raise awareness about millets among consumers, policy makers, industry and  R&D sectors around the world. The aims to take the ‘Organic and Millet’ message to the rest of the world with India in the forefront.
Earlier, Karnataka State Department of Agriculture organised roadshows across the country as a precursor to the ‘Organics & Millets 2018- International Trade Fair’ which aims to take the ‘Organic and Millet’ message to the rest of the world.Karnataka government’s Organics and Millets call are being answered by farmers across the country. Overlooked since the ‘Green Revolution’ of the 1960s, these forgotten food grains are on the comeback because of their superior nutritional profile.”ENDS

About the Author

Sachin Murdeshwar
Sachin Murdeshwar is a Sr.Journalist and Columnist in several Mainline Newspapers and Portals.He is an ardent traveller and likes to explore destinations to the core.