Awareness program on Millet Exports cum Buyer Seller Meet at Guwahati, Assam
Azir khobor,Guwahati, 9th November 2022: The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in association with Federation of Industry & Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER) organized an Awareness Program on Millet Exports Cum Buyer Seller Meet on 9th November 2022 in NeDFI Convention centre in Guwahati, Assam.
Sunita Rai, Regional Head-NER, APEDA in her welcome speech informed the United Nations General Assembly adoption of India-sponsored resolution to mark 2023 as the International Year of Millets. The Government of India is committed to promote millets and their cultivation. India is one of the leading producers and suppliers of millet. The main millet-growing states in India are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, however production of Millets in the North eastern states is very low. States like Assam has initiated the Assam Millets Mission (AMM) for a period of seven years starting 2022-23. Globally, India is the largest producer of millets followed by Niger and Nigeria. India is among the top 5 exporters of millets in the world. The World export of millet has increased from $400 million in 2020 to $470 million in 2021. India exported millets worth $64.28 million in the year 2021-22, against $59.75 million in 2020-21, however the share of Millet based value added products is negligible.
While speaking in the event, Chief Guest, Jyotish Talukdar, APEDA Authority Member, spoke on the opportunities in millet production in Assam. He informed that Government of Assam has been intensely pursuing the farmers with the view to expanding and increasing millet cultivation in the state and the Government of Assam has initiated Assam Millet Mission 2022-23 across the state. He in his speech said informed about the initiative of the Hon’ble PM that 2023 will be a Millet Year. He requested APEDA, NCDC, NABARD, Assam Govt and FINER to join hands and work together to make this Millet Mission a success. Joseph Sebestian, Regional Director, NCDC, who was also present in the meeting, requested all the farmers present in the meeting to join the FPOs to get the benefits of NCDC schemes.
The program was followed by technical sessions from APEDA, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) and APART, Dept of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam followed by Buyer Seller Meet. About 150 participants participated in the event.