BENGALURU: THE two-day ‘Organic and Millets Mela’ hosted by the Department of Agriculture and Jaivik Krishik Society concluded on Sunday. The mela saw more than 2,500 visitors.
Millet lovers were spoilt for choice with a host of choices available - millet waffles, jamun, cereal, pani puri, pizza, pasta brownies and more. Around 150 farmers participated at the event and sold millets, vegetable seeds, grains, organic juices, plants, herbal products, organic manure and foods such as ragi cereal. The mela also hosted a terrace gardening workshop and an art competition on millets for children.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda encouraged people to adopt organic produce for a healthy lifestyle. He said, “We should reduce white foods such as white rice, white sugar and maida from our diets and replace them with organic and millet options available in the market.” He urged the fitness enthusiasts to replace quinoa or oats with locally grown millets.
The Agriculture Department has brought in 1.8 lakh hectares under organic farming with millets, grains, fruits, vegetables and pulses. In the last three years, the department has certified 75,000 people as registered organic farmers. In Karnataka, millets are grown on nearly 14 lakh hectares, and the area is steadily growing.
The department will host the ‘National Trade Fair 2017 - Organics and Millets’ from April 28 to 30 at Palace Grounds to give organic and millet farmers a national platform to showcase their produce and Rs 10 crore has been set aside for the fair.