“The Union Government has declared 2023 as the Year of Millets. A series of programmes will be launched to promote millets and other nutritious grains across the country,’’ Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje said on Sunday.
These schemes will focus on increasing the acreage under millets and that millet growers get remunerative prices for their produce, she said.
She was speaking after launching work on farmers hostel and staff quarters on KLE Society’s Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Campus at Mattikoppa village in Belagavi district.
She said that the government was increasing agriculture research grants to ensure farmers welfare.
The Central Government is increasing the research grants to 1.32 lakh crore, up from ₹23,000 crore in the last few years. Of this, around ₹800 crore is set aside for developing new farm technology. Over 70 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture and farming contributes 22 per cent of the GDP.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi dreams of doubling farmers income and wants India to be among the top 10 countries that export farm produce. We are already the ninth largest food producing nation. We want to train farmers in food processing and value addition, so that their incomes increase,” she said.
Giving farm loans at three per cent interest is among the schemes aimed at strengthening farmers, he said. Farmers will also be encouraged to grow Palmoline and green manure crops, she said.
KLE Chairman Prabhakar Kore urged the Minister to help the KVK set up facilities to preserve farm produce and food processing units. We are helping exporting farmers export farm produce and oil seeds, he said.
MLA Mahantesh Dodagoudar, ICAR scientist V. Venkatasubramanya, KVK director B.R. Patil, principal Sridevi Angadi and others were present.
