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HOPCOMS & KMF to market millets under brand Siri to spur products reach
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Saturday, 19 January, 2019, 13 : 00 PM [IST]
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Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
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Horticultural Producers’ Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) is now working to sell a range of millets from this April. Referred to as Smart Foods, millets will also be sold at Karnataka Milk Federation outlets.
In order to put in the practice of consumption of millets, value-added preparations are already introduced in government office canteens besides in-house luncheons and meetings.
According to Karnataka Minister for Agriculture N H Shivashankara Reddy, the organic produce including millet varieties will be sold under the brand name, ‘Siri’, and will have a uniform packaging format for people to identify the brand easily. According to the agriculture minister, the costs and other modalities were being worked out.
The extensive availability of millets across government outlets will help spread the message of how millets are good for us, good for our farmers and good for the planet. Until a few decades ago, millets had been a staple food in several parts of Karnataka but with exposure to Western culture these super grains have gradually been removed from mainstream consumption. However, over the last few years we are witnessing a comeback of millets and with health awareness spreading across urban areas, there is a rising demand for millets.
He also stated that ongoing Organics and Millets International Trade Fair 2019 which has 400 booths including 220 exhibitors participating from 10 states across the country and 23 food courts making it a total of 243 exhibitors also has a Millet Cooked Product Display Challenge. This is in two categories, savoury and baked products. The winners in each of the categories stand to take home a cash prize of Rs 10,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 6,000 respectively, for the first, second and third prizes. All participants will be given participation certificates.
Additionally, the seven teams shortlisted at the previously held ‘Smart Food Culinary Challenge’ will compete at the Palace Grounds in a grand finale. An on the spot drawing competition for children in two categories: the age group of 5 to 8 and 9 to 16 years to create awareness about the importance and benefits of organics and millets will also be organised. Winners of the drawing competition stand to win cash prizes of Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 respectively for first, second and third prizes in each category. There will also be five consolation prizes of Rs 500 in each category.
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