The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is working to promote the export of millet and millet-related products through the agricultural export promotion body, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
The move follows India’s proposal, which was supported by 72 countries, and resulted in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYoM) on March 5, 2021.
The government is currently organising IYoM-2023 at both the domestic and international levels in order to popularise Indian millets and value-added products around the world.
The government has invited farmers, exporters, and traders to participate in 16 international trade expos and Buyer Seller Meets (BSMs).
According to the government’s strategy, Indian missions abroad will be involved in the branding and promotion of Indian millets, as well as the identification of international chefs and potential buyers such as department stores, supermarkets, and hypermarkets for the purpose of organising B2B meetings and direct tie-ups.
APEDA intends to organise millet promotional activities in South Africa, Dubai, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Sydney, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America by facilitating the participation of various stakeholders from India in major food shows, Buyer Seller Meets, and Road Shows.
APEDA has planned to showcase millets and its value-added product at various global platforms such as Gulfood 2023, Foodex, Seoul Food & Hotel Show, Saudi Agro Food, Fine Food Show in Sydney (Australia), Belgium’s Food & Beverages Show, Germany’s BioFach and Anuga Food Fair, San Francisco’s Winter Fancy Food Show, etc.
India is one of the world’s leading millet producers, accounting for approximately 41 per cent of global production. According to FAO, global millet production in 2020 will be 30.464 million metric tonnes (MMT), with India accounting for 12.49 MMT or 41 per cent of total millet production. In 2021-22, India recorded a 27 per cent increase in millet production compared to the previous year’s millet production of 15.92 MMT.
India’s top five millet-producing states are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The share of export of millet is nearly 1% of the total millet production.
However, the millets market is expected to grow from its current market value of more than USD 9 billion to more than USD 12 billion by 2025.
The IYoM-2023 pre-launch is scheduled for December 5, 2022, and will include supply chain stakeholders such as FPOs, start-ups, exporters, and producers of millet-based value-added products. In addition, buyer-seller meetings would be held in Indonesia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and many other countries to promote Indian millets.
APEDA would also organise food sampling and tasting at the retail level, as well as in key local bazaars in targeted countries.
According to the centre’s millet promotion strategy, major international retail supermarkets such as Lulu Group, Carrefour, Al Jazira, Al Maya, Walmart, and others will be involved in the establishment of millet corners for millet branding and promotion.
In collaboration with ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, and Farmer Producer Organizations, the government has also begun developing a five-year strategic plan for the promotion of millets and value-added millet products in the international market (FPOs).
The Nutri Cereals Export Promotion Forum was established by the Centre to encourage the export of potential products such as millets and to remove bottlenecks in the Nutri Cereals supply chain.
According to DGCIS data, India increased millet exports by 8.02% in the fiscal year 2021-22, with 159,332.16 metric tonnes exported compared to 147,501.08 metric tonnes exported the previous year.
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