Millet is India's 'golden grain': NE agricultural body hails rising production

Millet has emerged as India's 'golden grain' due to its health benefits and rising production levels, according to North-Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation’s (NERAMAC) Managing Director Commodore (Retd) Rajiv Ashok.

Speaking at an event titled “Promotion of Millets in India”, Ashok said that millet is a nutritional powerhouse and that is why it should be increasingly used as an alternative to rice. 

He highlighted the Government of India’s thrust towards this product over the last few years leading to the world recognizing it in the form of an International Year of Millets in 2023.

"The event is aimed at generating awareness and promoting benefits of millet consumption to create an upstream effect of increased production by farmers,” he added.

NABARD Chief General Manager (Assam) Loken Das said that NERAMAC’S contribution to the agri-horticultural sector in general and promotion of millets, in particular.

Millet is a ‘superfood’ in a true sense and a collaborative effort between NABARD, NERAMAC and the state government would yield beneficial results to farmers, he added.