The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has launched a variety of millet products for all age groups at affordable prices ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 15 at the Asia’s biggest B2B international food and hospitality fair - AAHAR food fair.
All the millet products launched by APEDA are gluten-free, 100% natural, and patented. The launched products are cream biscuits, salt biscuits, milk biscuits, ragi peanut butter, jowar peanut butter, jowar upma, pongal, khichadi and millet malts.
A variety of “Millet in Minutes” products under the category of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) like Upma, Pongal, Noodles, Biryani, Khichadi, etc. was also launched. All the RTE products are vacuum processed without any additives, fillers and preservatives. Nutrition value is retained as original with a shelf-life of 12 months in ambient temperature.
The APEDA is also working with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to increase the cultivation area, production, and productivity of millets, including bajra, jowar, and ragi.
In view of the nutritional value of the millets, the government has notified millets as nutri-cereals in 2018. The millets are a rich source of protein, fibre, minerals, iron, calcium and have a low glycemic index. In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly had declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
In line with the theme of APEDA’s pavilion, - ‘To promote GI products for export’, the apex body to promote agricultural products put on display 33 GI tag agricultural products at AAHAR. The 33 GI products which were on display were Punjab’s Basmati Rice, Karnataka’s Gulbarga Tur Dal, Maharashtra’s Sangli Raisin, Kolhapur Jaggery, Ajara Ghansal Rice, Sindhudurg & Ratnagiri Kokum, Vengurla Cashew and Waigaon Turmeric; Assam’s Boka Chaul, Joha Rice, Karbi Anglong Ginger; Manipur’s Chak-Hao and Kachai Lemon, Mizoram’s Ginger and Chilli, Sikkim’s Large Cardamom, Nagaland’s Naga Mircha, Kerala’s Navara Rice, Pokkali Rice.
Kaipad Rice, Palakkadan Matta Rice, Himachal Pradesh’s Kala Jeera, Chulli Oil, West Bengal’s Gobindabhog Rice, Tulaipanji Rice, Bardhaman Sitabhog, Bardhaman Mihidana, Banglar Rasogolla, Rajasthan’s Bikaneri Bhujia and Odisha’s Kandhamal Haladi.
APEDA also released two booklets which include a catalog on Agri and Food GI products (APEDA scheduled) and a brochure on Indian GI mangoes.
Source - PIB
