Poor man’s food millet turns Hyderabad’s favourite

 

There is an old saying in Telangana, “Jwaram vaste Annam, Je Je vaste Annam”(rice will be prepared when someone at home is ill or during festivals or celebrations), indicating the importance, and scarcity, of rice, particularly for the poor.

 

Also in Andhra Pradesh, with increasing health consciousness among citizens, staple Telangana food like jowar and millets (high in fibre, nutrition, and lower on calories than rice and wheat) have become special. “We always advise our patients to have healthy food. People can take any millet variety which suits them,” said Dr Vamshidhar Allam.

 

“When we started our farmers’ society in 2000 to promote organic food, the farmers used to say that they did not grow millet as there was no market for it. But now things have changed. Due to promotions and increased health consciousness, farmers are benefitting by raising millet. We started with a capital of Rs 2.5 lakh and now the annual turnover is more than Rs 50 lakh. Most of our produce is consumed in Hyderabad. Demand is such that we are not able to meet it,” said Suresh Kumar, joint director, Deccan Development Society (DDS).

 

Jonna (great millet), Sa J Ja (pearl millet), Korra (foxtail or Italian millet), Saamai (little millet), Makka Cholam (corn makka), Kuthiraivali (Barnyard millet), Panivaragu (Proso millet), Varagu (Kodo millet) are the various types of millets which are being promoted along with hand-pound rice or brown rice.