Bhubaneswar: The State has produced 702.04 metric tons of millet in the last three years, the government today told the Odisha Assembly.
Replying to a query by BJD member Bibhuti Balabantray, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Minister KV Singh Deo said that millet is cultivated in all 30 districts of the State. In the last three years (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023024), millet was grown in 680.33 hectares and 02.04 metric tons of primitive grains were produced.
In 2021-22, 180.47 metric tons of millet were produced from 187.01 hectares while the production went up to 265.88 metric tons from 229.21 hectares of land in 2022-23. Similarly, the ancient food grain was cultivated in 264.33 hectares of land in 2023-24 from where 255.69 metric tons were yielded, the minister said.
Singh Deo further informed that the government is providing incentives to the farmers cultivating millets with the use of technology.
Farmers have been imparted training regarding the use of improved farming methods. Quality seeds are provided to farmers for high yielding, the minister told the Assembly.
Seeds are provided through Community Managed Seed Centres run by Farmer Producer Organizations and Women Self Help Groups.
Agricultural equipment is being provided to farmers at discounted prices through Custom Hiring Centres
Millet produced by the farmers is procured at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) fixed by the Government and the procured grains are supplied to the beneficiaries through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
This year, the minimum support price has been fixed at Rs 4,290 per quintal, Singh Deo informed.
