APEDA Organizes Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference

· To Stimulate Millet Exports & Enhance Market Linkages for the Producers

· India Nourishing the World with Food & Nutritional Security

Under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India has organized the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference today at Subramaniam Hall, NASC Complex, Pusa Road, New Delhi to stimulate the exports of millets from India and provide market linkage to the producers.

Around 100 Indian millet exhibitors from different parts of the country and around 100 international buyers from various countries like the USA, UAE, Kuwait, Germany, Vietnam, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Bhutan, Italy and Malaysia have been invited to the Conference. This conference provides an excellent opportunity for trade and networking among the participants. APEDA requested 30 potential millet importing countries to send their major buyers for this conference to visit the exhibition and travel around the stalls of 100 exhibitors of unique products of millets. Additionally the details of all the millet exhibitors under different categories in the exhibition area have been displayed digitally through which the importers can source millets directly from this list of Indian millet producers. The Virtual Trade Fair (VTF) is operational 24X7 365 days wherein exhibitors and buyers can interact based on the products displayed in the VTF.

The conference will also feature a series of informative sessions, including keynote, and presentations in a digital platform. These sessions will focus on various aspects of millet and its value-added products, processing, packaging, and export potential providing valuable insights for both exhibitors and buyers.

The event is expected to generate a significant impact on the millet industry, further promoting its growth and development in the global market. The Conference organised by APEDA provided a platform for B2B meetings between International and National Buyers, Exporters, Progressive Growers, FPOs of millets to explore direct marketing and export opportunities for millets and its value-added products.

India’s export of Millets is 64 million USD in the year 2021-22. There is an increase in export of Millets by 12.5 % during the period April-December 2023 as compared to the same period last year. Export of millets has witnessed a change in paradigm in the last decade. The major importing countries were USA, Australia, Japan, Belgium etc in 2011-12 which had been shifted to Nepal (USD 6.09 million), UAE (USD 4.84 million) and Saudi Arabia (USD 3.84 million) in 2021-22. Kenya, Pakistan were also among the potential import destinations of India in the last decade. The other seven destinations in the current top-ten list of India’s millet export are Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, UK, Yemen, Oman and Algeria. India is exporting millets to 139 countries across the globe. The export of value-added products of Indian millets are also spread across the world.

Today India has the potential to lead the world as a key player in the global supply chain of millet & its value-added products. APEDA in the forefront with the mandate of export promotion of agri products of the nation selected these unique products from the nutritional millet basket & displayed in the global market targeting to bring a global millet revolution. APEDA participated in the opening ceremony of the International Year of Millets 2023 organised by FAO at its HQ in Rome, Italy displaying different varieties of Millets and value added Millet products. APEDA organised a Buyer-Seller Meet for export promotion of Millets at Jakarta, Medan, Nepal, Brussels, Belgium. In addition, Virtual Buyer Seller Meet was organized with Malaysia, EU, UAE, Malaysia, Japan and Algeria.

An exclusive millet gallery was set up during GULFOOD 2023 wherein start ups, new entrepreneurs, FPOs, exporters, women entrepreneurs displayed their millet products to give wide publicity to the Indian millets & its value added products before the importers across the world and 5000 participant companies from 125 countries.

APEDA in association with Indian Missions abroad promoted Indian millets during the Republic Day celebrations. Millets products were sourced from various Start ups and sent to Embassy of India in various countries like Doha, Qatar, Italy, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Malaysia, Russia, Tokyo, Indonesia, Republic of Korea Saudi Arabia, Perth, Denmark, Argentina, Egypt, Canada, Guatemala, Algeria and China for promotion during the Republic Day celebrations.

APEDA has formulated a robust strategy focussing to expand the global basket with millets and its value-added products to achieve USD 100 million targets by 2025 with monumental efforts to broaden global reach. India is marching ahead in the International Year of Millets 2023 with a basket of nutritiously rich Indian Millets – popularly known as Shree Anna in the global market.

India is flourishing the nutritious millet basket with a range of innovative value added products of millets. APEDA in collaboration with Indian Institute of Millets Research and respective State Agricultural universities has incubated more than 200 start-ups to develop a range of millet based value-added products, Ready to Eat, Ready to Cook and Ready To Serve products, easy meal solutions as wholesome food suitable for all age groups.

India is the largest producer of millets. The country is enriched with a wide range of millets produced in major millet-growing states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, etc. India produced 17.96 million Metric Tonne (MT) of Millets. Millet grown in India are Pearl Millet, Sorghum, Finger Millet and minor Millets like Proso Millet, Kodo Millet, Little Millet, Foxtail Millet, Browntop Millet, Barnyard Millet, Amaranthus and Buckwheat. The Indian government has also been promoting Millet production as part of its National Food Security Mission. As a result of these factors, millet production in India is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

As we are progressing ahead in IYOM 2023, India is enriched with unique varieties of value added products of millets which range from millet pizza base, millet ice creams, ice cream cones and cups, millet cakes & brownies, breakfast cereals, traditional Indian dosa, poha, upma, pasta, noodles millet milk, tea, consumable millet tea cups that are so environment friendly that they can either be consumed directly or utilized as feed/fodder.

A lot of value-added products have been created with millets such as Idli, Dosa, Idiyappam, Roti, Puttu, Upma, Porridge, Chapati, Pancakes, Vermicelli upma, Pasta, Noodles, Macaroni, Semolina/Suji, Muesli, Instant mixes, Mudde as Breakfast items, Halwa, Adhirasam, Kesari, Nutritious ball, Payasam/Kheer as Sweets, Vada, Pakoda, Murukku, Bhelpuri, Boli, Pappads, Ready to eat mixes, Flakes, Puffs, Millet Laddus, Millet rusks as Snacks and some bakery products like Bread, Cake, Cookies, Soup sticks,Edible biscuit cups, Health bars, Spreads, Muffins, etc. Beverages like Beer, Soups, Malted millet-based beverage, Germinated Ragi drink mix, Multigrain drink mix, Ready to drink beverages have also been created with millets. In addition to these, some other food items created with millets include Biryani, Weaning foods/infant foods, Chat mixes, etc.

APEDA has shown to the world the nutritious millets that India has to offer. The journey in the promotion of Millet has made a positive impact showing pick up in millet exports. Gearing up to take India from a leading producer to the leading exporter of Millets, contributing towards a prosperous future for millions of Indian farmers across the country and making valuable additions to achieve food & nutritional security. The journey has just begun to bring the goodness of Indian Millets to the global consumer.