Telangana: Bhupalpally swears by millets as farmers turn to cereal grains
Training programmes in preparation of recipes through millets have already been conducted at 644 Anganwadi centres in 11 mandals in the district besides a food festival on millet recipes
Bhupalpally: Millet cultivation is witnessing a major surge in Bhupalpally, with the district administration providing support to farmers to cultivate millets under the Centre’s Aspirational Districts Programme. This apart, the Department of Women Development and Child Welfare is also preparing a road map for inclusion of millets in Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in partnership with the union Ministry of Welfare of Women and Children to serve millets that are rich in nutritional values.
Training programmes in preparation of recipes through millets have already been conducted at 644 Anganwadi centres in 11 mandals in the district besides a food festival on millet recipes.
According to officials, more than 10 villages in the four mandals of Palimela, Maha Mutharam, Kataram and Malhar Rao were chosen for millet cultivation under a pilot project last year. While 465 farmers cultivated millets (major and minor millets) in 501 acres in the Vanakalam (Kharif), 179 farmers cultivated millets in 310 acres in the Yasangi season (Rabi) this year. Three kilograms of seeds per acre were distributed to farmers free of cost as funds worth Rs 1.36 crore were sanctioned for the Aspirational Districts Programme.
Jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet), samalu (little millet), sajjalu (pearl millet) and korralu (foxtail millet) were cultivated. While the government is ready to buy back jowar and sajjalu offering a minimum support price, there is huge demand for minor millets like korralu and samalu in the open market.
“We have also set up millet processing unit at a cost of Rs.10 lakh at Chelpur near Bhupalpally and are planning to purchase all types of millets,” Coordinator of Millet Cultivation, G Thirumal, said.
Fifteen members of women self-help groups (SHGs) were selected to run the processing unit and they were provided training at a unit in Asifabad town.
The district administration also appointed 10 Community Resource Persons to encourage millet cultivation and help farmers increase yield. Sammaiah, a farmer from Palimela, said he had cultivated jowar and korralu in his one acre and got a good income compared to maize and other crops. Ramesh from Dhummur village of Palimela also thanked the government for reviving erstwhile crops.
“Jowar is our erstwhile staple diet. But it was forgotten for several decades. However, people are now consuming jowar instead of rice due to different reasons,” he said.
Officials are planning to supply snacks and other food made of millet to students in government residential schools and colleges in the district.
“If successful, then learning from this pilot project can be scaled up across the State in a phased manner,” an official said.
Millet consumption is slowly catching up with people in urban areas as well, with various millets now made available at grocery stores in Warangal city. Except brown top millet (Andu Korralu), all other millets are priced nearly Rs.100 per kg in the city. The price of the brown top millet is over Rs 350 per kg.
