APEDA Organizes VBSM with FPOs of APDMP and Millet Exporters to Promote Millet Products

[MoC&I Press Release/13.01.2021]

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in association with Andhra Pradesh Drought Mitigation Project (APDMP), an externally aided project funded by IFAD, organized a Virtual Buyer Seller Meet with Millet Exporters and FPOs of Millet for establishing marketing linkages.

Considering the potential of increasing exports of Millets and Millet products and the focus given by Government for development of Millet sector of Nurti Cereals, APEDA is closely interacting with Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR) and other stakeholders like National Institute Nutrition, CFTRI and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for perspective planning of five years for promotion of Millets and Millet products. This platform has provided an opportunity to the exporters and FPOs to interact with each other for supply and sourcing of products.

APEDA is making efforts to prepare a perspective Action Plan for increasing export of Millet and Millet Products for a period five years i.e. 2021-2026 to enable all concerned stakeholders for taking necessary action in a time bound manner for achieving the target.

Further, efforts would be made on identification of Organic Millet clusters, registration of FPOs and exporters of Millets at Farmer Connect Portal developed by APEDA for further interaction for buy and sell activity, and identification of new Potential International Markets for promotion of Indian Millets.

Increasing interest in reviving the consumption of millets across various countries is favoring the growth prospects of this product in recent years within the country and for exports as well

Dr. M. Angamuthu Chairman APEDA, H. Arun Kumar, Commissioner Agriculture, Government of Andhra Pradesh, G. Vinaichand, COO, APDMP, Senior Officers of APEDA and APDMP, FPOs and exporters of Millet participated in the programme.

Millet is a common term to categorize small-seeded grasses that are often termed nutri-cereals, and includes Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Ragi, Small Millet, Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Barnyard Millet, Kodo Millet and other millets. Millets are the cereal crops generally small-seeded and known for high nutritive value.