BENGALURU: Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Tuesday urged Karnataka to support sustainable agriculture by increasing the export of millets. Speaking after inaugurating the “Vanijya Utsav” as part of the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, organised by the Union Commerce Department in collaboration with the state, the minister said that Karnataka is home to ‘Siridhanya’, the government intends to reintroduce and promote staple and nutritious food products and increase its export. The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International year of millets.
“Karnataka is working to formulate an Agri Export Cell to better target the policy initiatives and to expand its export market reach,” she said and added that the central government will extend complete support to the state to help achieve its objectives.
“The state has established six Centres of Excellence under Indo-Israel-Netherlands programme to boost quality and quantity production of mango, pomegranate, flowers, oil palm and the initiative will make India a leading producer of high-quality agricultural products,” the minister said. The minister said they are actively engaged in the implementation of the Prime Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) launched under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
Karnataka Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce and Industry Department, Ramana Reddy, said that Karnataka has facilitated India’s growth through its Information Technology industry. Industry experts from various Chambers of Commerce, Industry Associations, Export Promotion Councils attended the “Vanijya Utsav.”