Reincarnating Raipur
Due to the encouragement of millet cultivation by the state government, the trend of farmers is increasing rapidly towards the cultivation of Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi. Millet Mission has been started in Chhattisgarh to promote millet cultivation. Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association has bought 5 thousand 273 tonnes of millet worth Rs 16.03 cr in the year 2021-22 & 13 thousand 05 tonnes of millet worth Rs 39.60 cr in the year 2022-23 at the support price.
In the Kharif year 2023, a mark has been set to extend the area under cultivation of millets from 96 thousand hectares to 01 lakh 60 thousand hectares. As a special initiative of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Millets are being procured at a support price. The state government has fixed the support price of Kodo-Kutki at Rs 3 thousand per quintal and Ragi at Rs 3 thousand 377 per quintal. In the last season, farmers had sold 34 thousand 298 quintals of millet for Rs 10 crore 45 lakh on the support price. Coarse grains have been used for a long period of time in numerous tribal areas. It is very beneficial from the point of view of health, so now these grains are being used a lot in other areas as well. According to professionals, Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi are considered protein and vitamin-rich grains. Its consumption gives benefits for diseases like sugar, and BP. Crops like Kodo, Kutki, and Ragi have an important place in the tribal culture and food of Surguja and Bastar.
It is worth mentioning that the state of Chhattisgarh has also received the National Level Nutritious Grain Award 2022 for promoting the cultivation of millets. To promote millet production in the state, it has been included in the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana. To encourage millets producing farmers, input assistance of Rs 9 thousand per acre is also being given. The cultivation of millet requires less water and less fertilizer. As a result of this, the cost of its cultivation is very less and the profit of the productive farmers is more.
