Small grain crops have their own importance, nutrients are found in abundance in these crops. These crops are taken in tribal-dominated areas on low-fertile high-harvest and gravelly land, in which other crops cannot be produced well. A year ago, the area under minor grain crops in Kanker district was about 5,400 hectares, which has increased to about 10,056 hectares in one year. The productivity which was earlier around 566 kg per hectare has increased to 816 kg per hectare in one year. Earlier, due to lack of marketing arrangements, farmers were giving priority to paddy crop instead of small grain crops, as well as processing of small grain crops ie extracting rice from kodo, kutki and polishing of ragi was very labor intensive. Due to the work, it was grown by the farmers for their own use only, whatever was saved, they used to sell it to the local traders at low prices. Keeping these problems in mind, with the aim of promoting the production and processing of small grain crops by the district administration, a small grain processing unit was established at Krishi Vigyan Kendra Kanker and village Gotulmunda of Durgukondal development block, which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of the state Mr. Bhupesh. Baghel, thus the “Millet Mission” was started from Kanker district. Last year, seed production program of improved varieties of Ragi, Kodo and Kutki was taken up on farmers’ fields in 100 acres. Simultaneously, a group of 300 farmers producing Kodo and Ragi was formed and they were linked to the production and collection work. The farmers who used to sell their produce Kodo and Ragi to the middlemen at a low price, are now selling small grain crops at the support price. The support price of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi has been declared by the government. Last year Kodo and Kutki were purchased at the rate of Rs.03 thousand per quintal and Ragi at Rs.03 thousand 370 per quintal. This year, the new support price announced by the government will be purchased at the rate of Rs.03 thousand per quintal, Kutki at Rs.3,100 per quintal and Ragi at Rs.3,578 per quintal.Continue Reading