Food Min pushes for wide use of millet products in canteen, office meetings

The Food Ministry on Monday said it has decided to promote millet products like ragi biscuits and cookies in its canteen and all meetings.

A directive in this regard has been issued recently in order to promote the consumption of healthy products ahead of the International Year of Millets to be celebrated in 2023.

Millets products such as ragi biscuits, cookies, ladoos, baked millet chips etc. as snacks to be served in the meetings.

Dosa, idli and vada with millet as the main raw material to be used in the canteens and as far as possible locally available millet-based products should be used, the ministry said in a statement.

Ahead of 2023 international year of millets, the Food Ministry has been actively promoting procurement, and consumption of millets in the country and utilization of procured millets for distribution in welfare schemes.

Millets consumption confers several benefits and helps in managing lifestyle diseases. Due to their high density of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, phyto chemicals and dietary fiber, millets are also excellent grains to alleviate malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency, it added.