Farmers of Chhattisgarh started earning crores from Kodo
Raipur |
22-Nov-2022
621
Millet Mission has boosted Kodo, Kutki, Ragi cultivation
Farmers have earned around Rs 1.28 crore by selling Kodo seeds
Number of Kodo seed producing farmers have increased by five times in a short duration of one year
Income from sale of seeds has increased by four times
Chhattisgarh awarded as the best emerging state for promotion of millets
TNINS
Chhattisgarh Millet Mission has given a major boost to the cultivation of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi (Millets) in the state and has made it profitable for the farmers taking millet crops. On the special initiative of Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel, millets are being procured at support prices and this has helped the farmers to earn crores of rupees. In the last season, farmers had sold 34298 quintals of millets at the support price for Rs 10 crore 45 lakh. Chhattisgarh is the only state in the country, where Kodo, Kutki and Ragi are being procured at the support price and the work of its value addition is also being done. Kodo-Kutki is being procured at the rate of Rs.3000 per quintal on the support price and ragi is being procured at the rate of Rs.3377 per quintal.
With the support and guidance of Chhattisgarh State Seed Certification Institute, farmers have started producing certified seeds of Kodo and are earning substantial profits through the same. In last one year, the number of farmers producing certified seeds has increased by almost 5 times and the income from this has increased 4 times. In the year 2021-22, 3089 quintals of certified seeds were produced by 171 farmers of 11 districts of the state. These seeds were procured by Seed Corporation at the rate of Rs. 4150 per quintal, against which an amount of more than one crore 28 lakh 18 thousand was paid to the farmers. The certified seeds produced by the farmers of the state are being supplied for sowing, through cooperative societies.
Mr. AB Asana, Additional Director of Seed Certification Institute, said that in the year 2020-21, only 716 quintals of certified seeds were produced by 36 farmers of 7 districts in the state, and their income that year was only Rs 32 lakh 88 thousand, whereas in 2021-22 the number of Kodo seed producing farmers and the profit from the sale of seeds both have increased manifold. In the last three years, Kodo certified seed producing farmers have sold seeds worth Rs 1 crore 65 lakh 18 thousand 633 to the Chhattisgarh Seed Development Corporation.
Additional Director Mr. Asana told that cultivation of Kodo is more beneficial in the agricultural land where the production of paddy is nominal. Kodo cultivation requires less water and less fertilizer, and so it has low input cost and high profit for the farmers. He informed that in the year 2019-20, only 103 quintals of certified seeds were produced in the state. Since the implementation of the Millet Mission, Chhattisgarh State Seed Certification Institute, in coordination with other government institutions, is making continuous efforts to promote Kodo seed production and these efforts are bearing significantly positive results.
It is worth mentioning that Chhattisgarh has received the National Level Nutritious Grain Award 2022 for promoting millet farming. To further promote millets production in the state, state government has included millet farming under the scope of Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana. Millets producing farmers are being provided exchange grant of Rs 9 thousand per acre as an incentive.
The cultivation of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi is being continuously expanded in the state. The area under millet cultivation has increased from 69 thousand hectare to one lakh 88 thousand hectare in the state. Millet Mission is being implemented with the objective of promoting millet cultivation, training of farmers, availability of high quality seeds and increase in productivity. 14 districts have signed a tripartite MoU with IIMR Hyderabad under the Millet Mission with the efforts of the Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association. Under the Chhattisgarh Millet Mission, a target has also been set to increase the productivity of millet from 4.5 quintals per acre to 9 quintals
