Bhubaneswar: Food Corporation of India (FCI) has lifted finger millet (Ragi) from Odisha for the first time. The Government of India has set a target to lift 40,000 metric tonnes of Ragi from the state into the central pool for distribution under various welfare schemes through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
In the first phase, FCI has lifted 2,642 metric tonnes of Ragi from Koraput and Nabarangpur districts. Andhra Pradesh has already expressed its willingness to receive 16,800 metric tonnes, while the remaining stock will be lifted in phases from Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Nabarangpur, which are major tribal-dominated millet-producing districts.
This initiative is being carried out in close collaboration with the Departments of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation of Odisha Ltd, and Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department.
During the 2024–25 Kharif season, Odisha procured over 75,000 metric tonnes of Ragi from more than 64,000 farmers, of which 40,000 MT has been earmarked for FCI lifting.
The move comes in line with the Government of India’s efforts to promote millets, with 2023 declared as the International Year of Millets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also highlighted Ragi as a superfood of global recognition. Strengthening this vision, the Odisha Government has been promoting millet cultivation and consumption under its flagship “Shree Anna Abhiyan”, ensuring both nutritional security and livelihood support for tribal farmers.
