APEDA is creating a strategic action plan to enhance Millet exports over the next five years, from 2021 to 2026, as well as to expand the export footprint from 50 to 100 countries in the future years, according to Mr. Bajaj.
While addressing industry stakeholders at the MILLETS: Power House of Nutrition Round Table Interactive Meet, held at Ph.D. house today, Shri Dr. Tarun Bajaj, Director, APEDA, discussed how crop area under millet production has been diminishing, but the market scenario for millet is quite promising.
Mr. Bajaj mentioned that APEDA is already developing strategies to help increase agricultural exports to countries other than the top buyers.
Mr. Bajaj also highlighted the countries importing Millet, such as Indonesia, Belgium, Japan, Mexico, Italy, and Brazil. He stated that India is completely non-existent in these markets because we have yet to begin exporting to these countries.
Shri. Minaz Minhaj Alam, IAS, Additional Secretary, MOFPI, commended the PHDCCI on arranging a Millets event and stated that India still needs to be well-positioned in the Millet sector.
Mr. Alam claimed that the PLI plan will improve the consumption of millets in food products and promote its value addition, along with shedding light on the numerous schemes MOFPI and their implementation, while deliberating on the work of MOFPI towards encouraging millet growers all across India.
According to Mr. Alam, the Large Entity Scheme under PLI provides sales-based incentives to applicants who have a minimum sale of all food products of Rs 250 crores, and the MSMEs Scheme under PLI provides incentives for having a minimum sale of Rs 2 crores.
Mr. Shri Pradeep Multani, President of the PHDCCI, stated that India is the world leader in millets, accounting for almost 40% of overall production. Millets are India’s second largest export. Every year, India produces approximately 16 million MT of millets.
Millets exports from India have surged at a 12% CAGR over the last three years. According to Mr. Multani, the millets market would rise from its current market worth of more than $9 billion to more than $12 billion by 2025.
According to Mr. Multani, Indian policymakers have refocused their attention on millet farming systems and enacted policies to create an enabling environment for farmers, such as the Intensive Millets Promotion (INSIMP), PLI Scheme for Food Processing Industry, and Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME).
Millet is known as a poor man’s diet, according to Mr. Shri Nand Kishore Aggarwal, Chair, Agribusiness Committee, PHDCCI. Urban residents are concerned about their use in their diet. Because of the stigma attached to them, their great benefits remain untapped in a hungry country like ours. A long-term solution to ensuring people’s right to food around the world is urgently needed.
The Food and Agriculture Organization has designated 2023 as the Year of Millets. According to Mr. Aggarwal, the PHDCCI’s agriculture and food processing committee has taken on the task of driving this effort from the front.
Dr. Dayakar Rao, Principle Scientist, Indian Institute of Millet Research (I.I.M.R) (IIMR), explained the six major varieties of Millets that are produced in India and also elaborated on the joint project between I.I.M.R (IIMR) and APEDA which is dedicated to improving market and producer related weaklings in the chain.
Dr. Rao mentioned that clinical data is unavailable on millets, and their benefits in different diet plans are still limited as relevant studies are yet to be conducted to support their benefit claims.
Dr. Yogesh Srivastav, Assistant Secretary General, PHDCCI, delivered the Formal Vote of thanks. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Govt of India supported the event.
This article was shared with Prittle Prattle News as a Press Release.
