Piyush Goyal, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, on Tuesday said it has come to incentivise farming and distribution of coarse cereals in the country considering its significance for health as well as improving agricultural economy.

Goyal said this while reviewing the policy framework for procurement, distribution and disposal of coarse foodgrains adding that farming and procurement of coarse grains needs to be increased in a planned manner.

The Minister said that revision of norms will result in encouraging procurement of coarse grain. Production of coarse grains being nutritious food results in sustainable agriculture development, and diversification of crops, their procurement needs to be encouraged. Permission to procure will be given only after previous stocks have been disposed of to avoid possible recycling.

Millets are grown on marginal and unirrigated land and procurement will help in doubling farmers income. Millets are more nutritious and hence would help India fight against malnutrition, Millets are more environment friendly and hence help in promoting sustainable agriculture and in preservation of environment, local procurement and local consumption will save transportation and avoidable movement of other cereals, he said.

Procurement period

According to the present Guidelines for Coarse Grain dated 21.03.2014, the procurement period given to the State government should not go beyond three months and there is also a second condition which stipulates that procurement period should also not go beyond one month from end of normal period of harvesting of concerned crop in the State. A maximum of six months’ time is given to the States for procurement and distribution of coarse grains through Public Distribution System. During the kharif marketing season 2020-21, a total of 11.62 lakh tonnes of coarse grains were procured by the State agencies.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of Department of Food and Public distribution and several departments under Agriculture Ministry.

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