Millets, also known as ‘Shree Anna,’ are a group of small-grained cereals that are highly valued for their exceptional nutritional properties and adaptability. The United Nations designated 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets,’ recognizing the importance of this grain for food and nutrition security.
Millets are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, and they are naturally gluten-free. Their low glycemic index makes them a good choice for people with diabetes and celiac disease.
India is currently the world’s largest producer of millets, contributing 38.4% to global grain production. Millets are a significant part of the country’s food reserves because they can be grown at a low cost and can withstand climate change, making them a sustainable option for farmers.
By July 2025, India had reached a total millet production target of 18.015 million tons in 2024-25, an increase of 443,000 tons compared to the previous year. This continuous growth shows the country’s efforts to promote millet cultivation in various agro-climatic regions.
The government has consistently strengthened its budget and policies to support millets. This support is available for all areas of production, export, and research. The National Food Security and Nutrition Mission helps millet production. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is running a sub-mission on nutritious cereals under the National Food Security Mission, which includes jowar, bajra, ragi-mandua, and small millets like kutki, kodo, sava-jhangora, and kangni-kakun. This initiative is running in 28 states and 2 union territories.
States can also use the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Vikas Yojana according to their needs and priorities, and they can improve millet production. In addition, the Nutritious Cereals Sub-Mission provides assistance to farmers. This scheme is implemented through states and union territories. Furthermore, the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM-FME) scheme provides targeted support, including micro food processing units related to millet-based products. The scheme has been allocated Rs 2,000 crore for the year 2025-26.
The government also launched production-linked incentive schemes for millet-based products. The goal was to encourage the use of millets in branded ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-cook (RTC) products. The government wants to promote value addition by supporting the production of millet-based food products for both domestic and export markets. It also wants to connect millet producers with food processors by increasing the demand for grain production. India produced a total of 18.015 million tons of millets in 2024-25, an increase of 443,000 tons. Rajasthan is the top state in millet production.