CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has planned to cultivate millets on 10 lakh hectares to produce 39 lakh metric tonnes, while paddy is cultivated in 20 lakh hectares. Compared to paddy cultivation, millet cultivation is carried out in 50 per cent of land area showing the importance of millet cultivation which needs less water and is considered a healthy diet at a time when diabetes and obesity is going up in Tamil Nadu.
The demand for millets is also rising due to health awareness among the people.
Traditional millets such as sorghum (jowar), cumbu, ragi (finger millet), tenai (foxtail millet), samai (little millet), panivaragu (proso millet), kuthiravaali (barnyard millet) and varagu (kodo millet) and maize are in high demand.
They are also used as a raw material for poultry feed, cattle feed and in the bio-ethanol industries.
In recent times, there is an awareness among people about the increased benefits of millets, considered a healthy alternative to polished and refined rice and wheat.
Millets have a low glycaemic index and are rich in complex carbohydrates. They get digested slowly, preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar which is highly beneficial for people with type-2 diabetes. They are packed with dietary fibre, promote healthy gut bacteria, regulate bowel movement and prevent constipation, bloating and cramping.
Millets contain magnesium which regulates blood pressure and the soluble fibre in millets helps to lower bad cholesterol and brings down risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The protein content and fibre content in millets are high and people do not feel hungry for snacks for a long time. For people with gluten-sensitivity, millets are a safe and highly nutritious diet since they are 100 per cent gluten-free.
Besides, the grains protect the body from oxidative stress and help flush out harmful toxins since they have powerful phenolic compounds like ferulic acid.
Tamil Nadu has become an ageing society with a population of 16.3 per cent older adults and there is a shift from focus on communicable disease to non-communicable diseases (NCD) like diabetes and blood pressure.
According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, nearly 75 per cent of deaths in Tamil Nadu are attributable to NCDs, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases being the major reasons for most of the premature mortality and disabilities.
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6, 2023–24) places Tamil Nadu among the states with the highest burden of major NCD risk factors and conditions in the country.
The prevalence of hypertension among men in Tamil Nadu is 28 per cent and among women, it is 24 per cent. About 26 per cent men in the state have diabetes, while 25 per cent women are affected by the disease. The most worrying factor is that 39 per cent of men and 44 of women have obesity problems, according to the survey.
The present situation is attributed to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity, driven by industrial growth, urbanisation, changing dietary habits and declining levels of physical activity.
On an average, millets are cultivated in 9.5 lakh hectares, and cultivation happens in 5.13 lakh hectares during the kharif season and 4.4 lakh ha during the rabi season with an annual production of 36 lakh metric tonnes.
During 2026–27, schemes for millets were formulated and are being implemented with a production target of 39 lakh metric tonnes in 10 lakh hectares. The scheme to increase millet cultivation includes cluster demonstration on millets, distribution of certified seeds, certified seed production subsidy, distribution of bio-fertilisers and micronutrient mixtures.
Though rice continues to be the staple food in Tamil Nadu, the need for millets is growing for a balanced diet and healthy life and its cultivation is also expected to go up in future.
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