BENGALURU: In the run-up to the three-day International Millets and Organic Trade Fair scheduled to be held in Bengaluru from January 20, Karnataka Agriculture Minister BC Patil said that as many as 110 international and national companies have already booked 218 stalls out of the total 300 at Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds.
The fair is being organised by the Agriculture Department in collaboration with Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Limited (KAPPEC) and International Competence Centre For Organic Agriculture (ICCOA).
The minister said that the state government is planning to set up a millet park in Raichur which will give boost to employment opportunities for the people of Kalyan Karnataka region. “Our aim is to bridge the gap between farmers from this sector and customers,” said Patil.
The minister said that postpandemic, people have become more conscious of a healthy lifestyle and are switching to healthier diets for their wellbeing. “As the world looks for new choices, the ages-old millets and organics are fast emerging as the preferred diet now,” said Patil.
Echoing the same, Agriculture Department commissioner B Sharat said that India’s focus is now on nutrition security. “There is very less or zero per cent use of pesticides and chemicals in growing millets,” said Sharat and added that India has been a world leader in millet production and compared to the rest of the states, Karnataka tops the list