Staff Reporter
Panaji
As the country celebrates 2023 as the Year of Millets, Goa sends out bad tidings: millet cultivation in the state has dropped drastically, and is grown on only 20 ha of land.
In fact the local millet scene is daunting: the total acreage under millets is not even .05% of the area of paddy cultivation.
With farmers long having shifted to paddy cultivation, the production of millets is so low that there is no official figure of the quantity cultivated.
In the past millets were grown on 100 ha of land.
Agriculture director Nevil Alphonso said on Thursday that there has been drastic decline in millet production in Goa.
Other states grow different types of millets such as jowar, bajra, ragi, proso (common) millet, finger millet, fox-tail millet, etc. However, in Goa only three varieties of the foodgrain are grown – ragi (nachne), finger millet and also proso millet.
He said that a survey carried out by the directorate revealed that only 20 hectares of land is under millet cultivation.
The department is trying to reach out to the maximum number of farmers and persuade them to revive the cultivation.
Various initiatives are underway to boost production and productivity of millets, and also to provide access to Goan market for millet exports and various value-added products of the foodgrain, he explained.
“Awareness is being created among farmers on the importance of millets in the daily diet so as to encourage cultivation,” Alphonso said.
The director pointed out that earlier growing millets was part of traditional crops of the state. However, the change in lifestyle has marginalised the foodgrain.
For the first time, a Nachneachem Fest will take place in the state. The festival, which has been organised by the directorate, will be held on March 12 at the agriculture farm in Duler, Mapusa.
“The fest aims to increase area under cultivation and to create more demand for millets so that farmers get a good price and are motivated to grow millets,” said Alphonso.
The fest also aims to showcase millets in all its forms, such as flour, sweets, grains, etc.