BHUBANESWAR: With millets being the buzzword in the food industry now, hoteliers of the state are keen on including millet-based recipes in their menus and promoting them in collaboration with the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department.
Chairing a consultative meeting between Odisha Millets Mission and the Hotel and Restaurant Association (HRAO) members organised here on Thursday, Principal Secretary of the department Arabinda Padhee told the hoteliers that by promoting millets they can improve the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers and women SHGs. The state government has declared November 10 as ‘Millet Day’.
Executive secretary of HRAO KK Rao said while many of the hotels and restaurants in the city have already included millets in their menu, a few more are introducing the recipes on a pilot basis. Members of the hotels association suggested that a framework and standard operating protocols for the preparation of millet recipes should be developed for reference of hotels.
“This will help hotels standardise their millet products more effectively,” Rao said and added that hoteliers are keen on engaging with the Odisha Millets Mission to streamline the supply chain of millets for the hotel industry.
Kej releases ‘mandia song’
Bhubaneswar: Three-time Grammy Award winner, musician Ricky Kej on Wednesday released ‘The Mandia Song’, dedicated to millets of Odisha. Kej has collaborated with Grammy awardees Vanil Veigas, Jim Kimo West, Lonnie Park and Lucy Kalantari and tribal farmers of the state. He has also used musical instruments of the tribals for the song which has been shot in various parts of the state.