State level workshop on millets; promotion of millets in Manipur emphasized
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 25 2023: One day State level workshop on millets was organized by ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region Manipur Centre, Lamphelpat today at ICAR Conference Hall, Lamphelpat on the theme 'Millets on the onset of International Year of Millets' .

The main objective of the workshop was to create awareness regarding the promotion of millets in Manipur in the context of the erratic and low rainfall areas during kharif season as nutri cereals, said a press release by ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region Manipur Centre.

P Vaiphei, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur while speaking as the chief guest emphasized on scopes of millets in the Northeastern region.

He maintained that nowadays the Indian Government is making millet products compulsory for refreshment in Government functions.

He further appealed to the agri-entrepreneurs of the State to take the advantage of the growing demand of millets before others.

Millets would be a menu in the upcoming G20 meeting in Manipur, he added.

RK Dinesh, IAS Commissioner Agriculture, Govt of Manipur while speaking at the programme highlighted the importance and status of millet production in the Indian context in view of the celebration of the International Year of Millets.

He stressed on the need of replacing the present illegal poppy cultivation with millets crops in consultation with various stakeholders in the State.

Dr I Meghachandra Singh, Joint Director, Manipur Centre briefed on the history of millet cultivation from domestication to commercialization of this crop.

He went on to state that since 2018, ICAR Manipur Centre has been popularizing millets by way of organizing awareness, training, demonstration and seed production at the Institutional and farmers' levels in association with the KVKs and seed growers.

He opined that though millet productivity is low in Manipur, it can bridge the deficit in cereal production due to the changing impact of global warming in the State.

The issue of poor yield and low value must be addressed with uniqueness like organic and with value addition, marketing, and processing through FPOs, SHGs and FCs.

He concluded that the millets can successfully be grown as wonder crops in drought-prone districts like Imphal east, foothills, wastelands, and jhum areas.

The workshop concluded with a technical session on the theme: scope of millets, cultivation practices, diseases and pest management, value additions by the experts from ICAR-IIMR, Hyderabad.

Altogether 170 delegates including five exhibitors displayed different value-added products of millets representing FPOs, KVKs, Line departments, food-preneurs etc.

from different districts of Manipur.

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