Bhubaneswar: Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan today praised the Odisha government for promoting millet farming in the state. Chouhan was speaking at the International Symposium on Shree Anna & Woman Farmer 2025 in the capital city here.  

“The farmers in Odisha are now producing 12 quintals of millets per hectare. This is higher than the national average. Earlier, they were producing just 6 quintals per hectare. I appreciate the state government for promoting millet cultivation in Odisha. I have asked our agricultural scientists to develop millet seeds having better productivity,” said Chouhan.  

Millet cultivation does not require much water, says Union Minister

Farmers can cultivate millets in less-fertile land and they do not require much water in this regard. Besides, there is no need of fertilizers and pesticides for millet cultivation, added Chouhan.

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“Odisha has done extremely well in promoting millet cultivation among farmers. Odisha has emerged as a model for other states. The Union Government will take the necessary steps to publicize the Odisha model among other states for encouraging millet farming,” said the Union Minister.

Odisha is the only state in India to announce MSP for millets

According to Chouhan, Odisha is the only state in the country to announce minimum support price (MSP) for millets. “The Odisha government is procuring millets from farmers with guaranteed MSP. The state government is providing millet items to students under the midday meal scheme in schools. Other states should learn from this,” said Chouhan.  

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On the occasion, the Union Minister highlighted the health benefits of millets. “Shree Anna or millets are rich in nutrients. We can stay healthy through the consumption of millet items. The entire world is now recognizing the importance of millet to fight against diseases like diabetes,” Chouhan stated.