Campaign to Promote the Cultivation of Coarse Grains in Uttar Pradesh | 21 Jan 2023

Why In News?

• On January 20, 2023, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said the International Trade Fair on Millets and Organic-2023 held in Bengaluru that arrangements are being made for value addition and marketing by increasing cover, increasing production and productivity while promoting the cultivation of coarse grain crops in Uttar Pradesh.

Key points

• State Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said that 55 coarse grain processing and packing centers will be set up under the system of value addition and marketing by increasing cover, increasing production and productivity, promoting cultivation of coarse cereal crops, which will benefit 72 thousand 500 farmers every year.
• Apart from this, the general public is also being made aware to include coarse grains in the diet.
• He said that coarse grains are the traditional food of India. Coarse grains are gluten-free, high in protein, fiber and antioxidant content.
• It is known that coarse grains were sown in 10.83 lakh hectare area in Uttar Pradesh in 2020-21. In this, only bajra was sown in 9.05 lakh hectare area. Sorghum, Kodo, Sawan, Madwa and Cocoon were sown in the remaining area. In this way, Uttar Pradesh is full of immense possibilities for coarse grains.
• The Agriculture Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, awareness about coarse grains has increased in the entire country. With the inspiration of the Prime Minister, millets were notified as nutritious food grains in the year 2018 and efforts are being made continuously to increase its production.
• In addition, millets were included as nutria grain sub-mission under the Food Security Mission for food nutrition and safety in the year 2018-19 by the Union Ministry of Agriculture Welfare. At present, coarse cereals are also being procured by the Government of India at the Minimum Support Price and their price is continuously increasing.