VIJAYAWADA: Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy emphasised the need for promoting consumption of millets and incentivise farmers to cultivate millets. Taking stock of the millet production in the State on Thursday, the Chief Secretary said Andhra Pradesh is more suitable for cultivation of millets. The target for the cultivation of millets has been set as 1.27 lakh hectares and officials of agriculture and allied sectors have been directed to create better marketing facilities for millets.
At the same time, he directed the officials to provide incentives to entrepreneurs who come forward to set up millet processing units. At the same time, he suggested setting up of millet stalls from the village to the State level to encourage people consume millets as their chosen food. It was further decided to encourage women SHGs to market and promote products made of millets through Mahila Marts.
Principal Secretary (Agriculture) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi was directed to take measures for setting up a millet products stall in the Secretariat and also instructed the protocol department for preparing and serving millet products during official meetings.
He explained that 70% of carbohydrates needed for a person on a daily basis are available in the millets like jowar, ragi, sajjalu, besides proteins, calcium, iron, B complex vitamins. “They are good for the people to keep themselves healthy in view of the increase in incidence of heart diseases, diabetes, hyper tension etc. People should make millets part of their daily diet,” he said.