Budget 2023-24: What the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said about Millets, now known as Shree Anna

Millet crop is ready to harvest. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Union Budget 2023 speech on Wednesday, said, "India is the global hub for millets, or shree anna. India is at the forefront of popularising millets."

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Further adding what the Prime Minister had earlier said about millet consumption furthering nutrition, food security and economic welfare, the FM said, "India is the largest producer and second-largest exporter of shree anna. We grow several types of shree anna: jowar, ragi, bajra, kuttu, kodo..." so on and so forth. "It has been an integral part of our food for centuries."

Acknowledging the "huge contribution of small farmers in growing shree anna thereby contributing to the health of their fellow citizens," the FM said, "the Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad, will be supported as centre of excellence for sharing research and best practices at international level."

How this compares with the previous year

Last year, in her Union Budget 2022 speech, the FM had said: “2023 has been announced as the International Year of Millets. Support will be provided for post-harvest value addition, enhancing domestic consumption, and for branding millet products nationally and internationally.”

How this compares with pre-budget expectations

The Union Budget was expected to announce a special fund or a scheme for millets as India prepares to steer the celebration of International Millet Year 2023 and promote the cultivation and consumption of nutri-cereals. The government sponsored the proposal for the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023, which was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). While the FM said the government will provide full support to ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research in Hyderabad for research and practices, however, no monetary allocation towards it was announced.

Details are unclear vis-à-vis what the government's Millet Mission entails for the millet farmers, and consumers, etc. Millets are still costlier than wheat and rice.

Why is the focus on millets?

The superfoods or magic grains, with a new nomenclature shree anna, takes centre stage in IYM 2023, which is an opportunity to highlight the benefits of millets for Better production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life. They can become a key crop within global food systems, with the potential to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, nutrition and the environment.

In short, millet cultivation aims to address food security, nutritional security, security against diseases, and economic security.

Millets have the potential to help achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) —mainly SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG3 (good health and well-being), SDG 12 (sustainable consumption and production), and SDG 13 (climate action).

It took off in India in 2018, when the Centre began promoting the cereal and the states launching awareness campaigns, providing subsidies to farmers. In 2018, The Millet Network of India (MINI) and farmers had asked the Centre and state governments to increase the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for millets to encourage farmers grow the nutrient-rich crops. According to reports, the Odisha Millets Mission (OMM) has inspired over one lakh farmers in the state’s 15 districts to grow millets. India now grows 80 per cent of Asia’s millet crop and 20 per cent of the world’s, while exports have risen from ​​$24 million in 2017 to $27 million in 2021.

Millets are coarse, tough plants that can survive in wide agro-climate locations and can resist extremely high and low temperatures. Even at temperatures as high as 46 degrees Celsius, some varieties of pearl millet can thrive. Most importantly, compared to wheat and rice, millet crops have a reduced carbon footprint, which helps moderate the effects of climate change. Millets also require less water than rice, sugarcane, and wheat.

Four challenges

• Processing efficiency
• Decentralised processing
• Shelf-life augmentation
• Marketing and market-linkages

Ancient food grains and first plants domesticated for food. Earliest evidence was found in Indus civilization in 3000 BC. It's grown in 131 countries and is traditional food for 590 million people in Asia and Africa.

Millet map of India. (Source: Agricoop.nic.in)

Millets are highly variable small-seeded grasses, commonly planted as cereal crops or grains across the world. Tiny and round, millets can vary in colours: white, green, yellow, red, brown or black

• Foxtail millet, kakum/kangni
• Finger millet, ragi
• Pearl millet, bajra
• Buckwheat, kuttu or kootu
• Little millet, kutki or samai
• Sorghum or great millet, jowar
• Barnyard millet, sama or samvat
• Browntop millet, chhoti or hari kangni
• Kodo millet or cow grass, or kedrav or kodra
• Proso millet, chena or purnarva

Millets are rich in nutrients such as phosphorus, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, zinc, B vitamins, calcium and iron. Modern man's ancestors knew of its health benefits from a time before time, here are some:

• Low in calories
• Gluten-free
• Unpolished
• Low glycemic index

• Aids weight loss, keeps you satiated for longer than other carbohydrates
• Diabetics, millets help reduce blood sugar levels with its low glycaemic index
• Boosts immunity, a good source of protein
• Reduces cholesterol and cardiovascular risks, its essential fats are the good fats the body needs, preventing excess fat storage
• Regulates blood pressure, its potassium content optimises your circulatory system.
• Unlike wheat, they do not contain the allergens that lead to asthma and wheezing, its magnesium content is said to ease migraine
• Aids digestion, rich fibre-source alleviates bloating, gas, cramping, constipation
• Antioxidants, helps detox the body and neutralise enzymatic actions of the organs

• Organic tattva
• Conscious Food
• Slurrp Farm
• Millet AMMA
• Eat Millet
• Phalada Pure and Sure
• Nativefoodstore
• Yogabar
• TruNaturals
• B&B Organics