Rajasthan farmers get free seed kits under state govt's millet push

The Rajasthan government is distributing free seed kits of coarse grains, or millets, to the state’s farmers to boost production.
 

“In over 5 months, about 790,000 kits of bajra (pearl millet) and 89,000 kits of jowar (sorghum) have been distributed to the farmers. This, we hope, will increase the production of coarse grains in the state and the farmers’ income. The Centre and the state are making constant efforts to promote coarse grains,” said an official of the state agriculture department.
 

The state is suitable for production of coarse grains which require comparatively less water and grow in even less fertile land, the official added.

The agriculture and allied sectors contribute 27 per cent to Rajasthan’s gross domestic state product. Its share in India’s millet production is about 26 per cent. Bajra and jowar are the main millet crops grown in the state. With over 41 per cent share,
Rajasthan is the largest producer of bajra in the country.

In the current kharif sowing season, bajra has been sown in over 4.3 million hectare of land and jowar in 650,000 hectare in the state.

The state government had started the Rajasthan Millet Promotion Mission in 2022-23. It had also made a provision of Rs 40 crore for setting up 100 primary processing units by farmers, entrepreneurs, and voluntary organisations.

Meanwhile, some of the hotels and restaurants in the state have started serving dishes made from coarse grains or millets to tourists and consumers after a request was made by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

“This move could help increase the use of coarse grains and benefit farmers growing millets,” the official cited above said.