Rise in area under minor millets cultivation in Coimbatore district
There has been a perceptible rise in cultivation of minor millets in Coimbatore district owing to the push given nationwide by the Central government during 2023-24 as part of International Year of Millets, and the initiatives undertaken under Tamil Nadu’s Millet Mission.
Swathes of fallow land have been brought under cultivation of minor millets, according to officials. Farmers have raised minor millet crops in a total of over 30,000 hectares in Coimbatore district, that encompasses a chunk of the fallow land, official sources said,
According to researchers in the region, there has been a welcome change in the food consumption pattern of health-conscious people, particularly, those with diabetes, indicating increasing intake of millets that are rich in protein and amino acids. Retail outlets have been witnessing increasing sale of packaged millet products, particularly for preparing porridge and dosas, the studies state.
In Coimbatore district, farmers predominantly cultivate sorghum (jowar), cumbu and ragi, a senior official said.
The cultivation of minor millet crops was delayed in Coimbatore this year due to the late onset of the Southwest monsoon. Nevertheless, the area under cultivation has been on the rise in recent years, the official said, adding that millets are cultivated under both rainfed and irrigated conditions in the district.
Having initiated Millet Mission, the State Government, as per official data, has made a budgetary allocation of ₹200 crore during 2024-25 for Kalaignarin Anaithugrama Orunginaintha Velan Valarchi Thittam, under which fallow lands are made cultivable.
On its part, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, through its Department of Millets, has undertaken substantial crop improvement research, resulting in release of five high-yielding hybrids and 43 varieties in sorghum, nine high-yielding hybrids and eight varieties in cumbu, 17 varieties in ragi and 26 varieties in other small millets.
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