Under the ‘Millet Mission’ launched by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister to promote the production of minor millets, the target crop production area for next year (2022-23) has been set at 1.17 lakh hectares. At present the production area covers 69,000 hectares.
Holding an Inter-Departmental Coordination Committee virtual meeting on Wednesday, Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain asked the officials to prepare a detailed action plan for increasing the area of production of millets.
Apart from it, the plan should include availability of seeds, processing and marketing for Kodo-Kutki-Ragi, an official communication said on Wednesday.
He said the Agriculture Department, Chhattisgarh State Seed and Agriculture Development Corporation and Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Cooperative Federation should work together to motivate and assist farmers to take up the production of minor millets.
A discussion was also held on processing and value addition of minor millets and backing it with necessary resources.
In the current crop season, the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Cooperative Federation is procuring the Kodo (Rs 30 per kg, Kutki-black (Rs 30 per kg), Kutki-white (Rs 30 per kg) and Ragi (Rs 33.77 per kg).
A total of 27,000 quintals of minor millets have been procured.
The procurement date has also been extended to February 15. Earlier, it was till January 31.
