Tamil Nadu government will start distribution of ragi (finger millet) at PDS outlets in Dharmapuri and the Nilgiris districts on a pilot basis this year, said Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarapani, here on Saturday.
Inaugurating Tamilnadu Millet Conclave - 2023, organised by Nirmala College for Women and Tanmillets and Tamil Research Association, on the theme “Reviving Traditional Food Products of Tamil Nadu”, he said the government plans to gradually increase distribution of millets at PDS outlets.
A senior official of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TCSC) told The Hindu that it will procure ragi from three centres in Dharmapuri district and six centres in Krishnagiri district thsi year. Distribution through PDS outlets in the two districts is expected to commence in February / March and PDS card holders can opt for finger millets instead of rice. The department will require nearly 1,360 tonnes of ragi a month for distribution through the PDS outlets.
Finger millet is usually harvested from January to March. So, the procurement process will go on for three months and distribution will be completed by October. Farmers will receive ₹35.78 for a kg and will supply dried, cleaned, and packed millets to the department.
The TCSC is preparing an e-procurement system, similar to the one used by paddy farmers, that will go for field trial before Pongal.
Farmers, mostly small or marginal, will register on it to supply the millets. The Corporation has asked for one compartment at the agri marketing godowns to store the millets, the official said.
The millet event here also had 100 stalls in which 555 varieties of millet food were displayed.
