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FAO gives nod to observe 2023 as International Millet Year, says Singh
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Saturday, 08 December, 2018, 16 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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Radha Mohan Singh, minister of agriculture and farmers’ welfare, Government of India, stated that the 160th session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Council, currently underway in Rome, has approved India’s proposal to observe 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
He added that this will enhance global awareness to bring back these nutri-cereals to the plate for food and nutrition security, and hence, increase the production for resilience to the challenges posed globally by climate change.
Singh said that in the Modi regime, India’s prowess in agriculture diplomacy hasd grown. This international endorsement comes in the backdrop of India celebrating 2018 as the National Year of Millets for promoting cultivation and consumption of these nutri-cereals.
This is further supported by the increase in the minimum support prices (MSPs) of millets. Millets consist of jowar, bajra, ragi and minor millets, collectively termed nutri-cereals.
The MSP of jowar has been increased to Rs 2,450 per quintal from Rs 1,725; that of bajra to Rs 1,950 from Rs 1,425, and that of ragi to Rs 2,897 from Rs 1,900 per quintal from 2018-19. Through the Department of Food and Public Distribution, state governments are allowed to procure jowar, bajra, maize and ragi from farmers at MSP.
In addition, the FAO Council also approved India’s membership to the Executive Board of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for 2020 and 2021.
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