Millet Cultivation: International Nutritious Cereal Year is being celebrated only to explain the importance of coarse grains to the whole world. Millet is being cultivated in many countries for centuries, but the area under millet is very less as compared to cash crops like paddy, wheat, maize. Undoubtedly, India ranks first in the production of millet, but most of the farmers in the country have many doubts regarding the cultivation of millets. The biggest reason is that where wheat, rice, maize are consumed throughout the year. On the other hand, fat grains with hot effect can be eaten only in winter. Compared to other grains, the consumption of millet is less, to increase which awareness campaigns are being run. On the other hand, farmers are of the opinion that if they start getting the right price for millet, it will help in increasing its area. For this, the government should also think about the purchase of millet at the minimum support price.
Because of this, farmers sow coarse grain
Millet is an eco-friendly crop, which can be grown even in adverse weather conditions without the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Shree Anna is a boon for areas with less water.
The cost of growing this crop is very low, so farmers are being motivated to cultivate millet, but the doubt is that even today most of the farmers grow millet for their daily requirement and as animal feed.
Most of the coarse grains – Jowar, Bajra, Maize are grown in the Kharif season itself, which are ready for harvesting by October and are delivered to the plates by winter. It is hot, so it is consumed only in winters.
On the other hand, the farmers who are also taking production of millet on a large scale, have to sell coarse grain in the open market at the price of a kilo. Traders and shopkeepers also buy millet at throwaway prices, which does not benefit the farmers much. If the government ensures the purchase of millet on MSP, then the enthusiasm of the farmers to grow fat will increase.
What do experts say
Regarding coarse grains, experts also believe that farmers become confident by cultivating paddy, wheat, maize etc. When this crop is not sold anywhere, the farmers have the option of selling it at MSP, that’s why the area under these crops is more.
Farmers grow them on a large scale, but marketing can be a major reason behind the shrinking cultivation of coarse grains. Soil health is maintained by this farming, there is no bad effect on the environment, ground water level is also maintained, there is no special concern about pest-diseases and weather and there is no need to use fertilizers to increase crop yield.
Cultivation of coarse grains gives more than average production in less cost, but to double the income of the farmers through millet, it is also necessary to make its reasonable price available.
What is the government’s plan regarding millet
Only after the support of 72 countries on India’s proposal, the United Nations year 2023 Declared International Year of Nutritious Cereals. To make the people of the country and the world understand the importance of Millet or Shree Anna and to increase its production as well as usefulness, the Government of India has also done complete planning.
- In order to increase the production of millet, farmers’ meetings are to be organized at the block level across the country.
- Farmers will also be given incentive amount for cultivation along with free mini kit of advanced installment seeds of Millet.
- In order to increase the production of millet, the farmers will be made aware of the benefits of its cultivation and getting the soil tested.
- The general public will be made aware of the benefits of millet, so that its consumption can be increased.
- There is also a plan to specially encourage the cultivation of jowar, bajra and maize.
- There is a plan to provide financial and technical help to the farmers through the Shree Anna Yojana announced in the budget 2023-24.
Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Farmer brothers, before implementing any suggestion, do consult the concerned expert.
Read this also- On Valentine’s Day, the price of flowers increased by up to 4 times, this business is giving a lot of profit.
