FCI Procures 2,442 Metric Tonnes of Ragi in Odisha, Boosting Millets Mission and Farmer Income

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has completed the procurement of 2,442 metric tonnes of ragi (finger millet) for the 2024–25 kharif marketing season in Odisha, marking another milestone in the centre’s concerted Millet Mission and expanding nutrition and income security for thousands of farmers. The procurement, which ended on August 20, was executed through minimum support price (MSP) channels and direct purchase at designated government centres, in partnership with the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC).

Ragi, a climate-resilient and nutrient-dense millet, is championed by governments for its adaptability to low-input, drought-prone environments. The crop is central to both food diversification and India’s push to reintroduce millets—dubbed “Shree Anna”—into public distribution and school meal schemes for better health outcomes.

Farmers participating in the procurement received direct MSP payments, facilitating timely reinvestment for the next cropping cycle and insulating them against market fluctuations. Procurement officials noted that the government’s efforts—grounded in digital processes, transparent payout, and local outreach—have increased ragi acreage and productivity in Odisha’s tribal and rainfed regions.

The FCI estimates that over 12,000 registered farmers benefited from this season’s procurement. Authorities plan to expand the scope for ragi and other millets in the upcoming season, aligning with the International Year of Millets initiatives, and aiming to increase millets’ share in the public food system.

Nutrition experts hail the procurement as a double win: supporting rural economies and boosting supplies of a supergrain rich in calcium, dietary fibre, and micronutrients vital for child and community health.