Millets (Shree Anna)

The Government gazetted millets as Nutri-Cereals and observed 2018 as the National Year of Millets. Millet production was 137.11 lakh tonnes in 2018-19, 180.21 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 and 160.00 lakh tonnes in 2021-22. India's proposal for an International Year of Millets was endorsed by FAO's governing bodies and adopted by the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in March 2021, with the support of 72 countries. The Food and Agriculture Organization held the official opening ceremony for the year in Rome on 6 December 2022.

On 18 March 2023 the Prime Minister inaugurated the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference at the IARI campus in Pusa, New Delhi, released a commemorative stamp and coin, and declared ICAR's Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, a Global Centre of Excellence. At the G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists in Varanasi on 17–19 April 2023, the MAHARISHI initiative on millets and other ancient grains, initiated by India, was approved, with its secretariat to be housed at IIMR. The G20 Agriculture Ministers welcomed it in Hyderabad on 15–17 June 2023. A Regional Research Centre for Bajra at Gudamalani near Barmer, Rajasthan, was inaugurated on 27 September 2023.

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare runs a Sub-Mission on Nutri-Cereals under the National Food Security Mission in 28 States and 2 Union Territories, supporting demonstrations, seeds of high-yielding varieties, machinery and training; States can also fund millets under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, and several run their own millet missions. States may take coarse grains and millets under the Public Distribution System in place of an equal quantity of wheat or rice, within their overall ceiling. Under the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 guidelines, millets must be supplied at least once a week in take-home rations and hot cooked meals. The ₹800 crore Production Linked Incentive scheme for millet-based products runs from 2022-23 to 2026-27, and APEDA leads export promotion.

The third advance estimates of 27 May 2026 put millet production at 175.84 lakh tonnes in 2025-26. Final estimates put millet production at 185.92 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, up from 175.72 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, when millets were about 5.29% of foodgrain production. PIB, citing FAO data for 2023, puts India's share of global millet production at 38.4%. Exports fell from 1,69,049.22 tonnes worth USD 75.48 million in 2022-23 to 89,164.96 tonnes worth USD 37 million in 2024-25, against the USD 100 million target APEDA had set for 2025. The Central Variety Release Committee released 276 millet varieties in 2024-25.

175.84 lakh tonnes millet production (2025-26, third advance estimates). Production per year: 137.11 (2018-19), 172.61 (2019-20), 180.21 (2020-21), 160.00 (2021-22), 173.21 (2022-23), 175.72 (2023-24), 185.92 (2024-25, final estimates) lakh tonnes. 72 countries backed India's proposal for the International Year of Millets 2023. USD 37 million in millet exports (2024-25). ₹793.27 crore approved for 29 applicants under the millet PLI scheme. Sources: Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare via PIB (PRID 1908120, 1908322, 1910107, 1917897, 1947881, 1947884, 2003546, 2004510, 2115780, 2192315, 2265965; backgrounders of 18 March 2023 and 8 August 2025); Lok Sabha USQ 335 (22 July 2025); Rajya Sabha USQ 3218 (28 March 2025).