CHENNAI: State Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Sakkarapani announced that the government will allot 50,000 acres of land for millet cultivation under Tamil Nadu Millet Mission.

Speaking at inaugural event of the three-day international conference on ‘Mighty Millets for Food, Nutrition and Health Security’ organised by MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Chennai, Sakkarapani said that State government has extended five-year millet mission to 20 districts.

“Millets will be distributed through the Public Distribution System (PDS) at subsidised rates, and incentives will be given to bring fallow land under millet cultivation,” he said,

Adding that this move will ensure crop diversification in agricultural land, he said that millets provide good nutritional benefits, and have calcium, phosphorus, fibre and protein.

He also released the annual report of the foundation inaugurated the Millet Exhibition showcasing several leading millet farmer producer organisations, millet processing and product development companies, national millet research institutions, among others.

Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of MSSRF, said, “decades ago Prof M S Swaminathan coined the term ‘Nutri-cereals’ for the millet family to emphasise their role of fulfilling the gaps in nutrition and health, also food insecurity.”