Surat: Shri Anna Mela and Exhibition to be organized on June 6-7

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A two-day Shree Anna Mela is being organized on June 6-7, 2023, in Surat, Gujarat, with the aim of promoting health-promoting nutritious coarse grains and increasing awareness among people about its properties.

Organized by the Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, ‘Surat Millets (Shri Anna) Fair and Exhibition will be organized in collaboration with Udyog Mandal Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) at Platinum Hall of Surat International Exhibition and Convention Center – Sarsana. . The conference will be inaugurated by Shri Minhaj Alam, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Shri DH Shah, IAS, Managing Director, Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Limited (GAICL) will also address on the occasion. Collector and District Magistrate (in-charge) of Surat District, District Development Officer Mr. B.K. Vasava, IAS, will deliver the keynote address. Apart from this, experts from various fields and representatives of the industry will also present their views on the occasion.

In the two-day fair, along with running an awareness campaign about coarse grains, exhibition of its new products and buyer-seller meetings will also be organized. Apart from this, colorful cultural programs showcasing the rich culture of Gujarat will be the main attraction of the fair.

Gujarat is the major producer of coarse cereals in western India. The climate of Gujarat is favorable for the cultivation of coarse cereals like kodo, bajra, small millet, kodi, barnyard. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export and Development Authority (APEDA) has identified Gujarat as a potential state for export development, processing and value addition of coarse cereals. Banaskantha district of Gujarat is most popular for coarse grain production.

It is noteworthy that the United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the Year of Millets. Since then, many programs are being organized all over the world to increase awareness about coarse grains. The world is being told about the nutritional properties of Shri Anna. India is the largest producer of coarse cereals in the world. It is easiest to cultivate them. Depending on the rains, their crops can be grown. They have been found better in terms of nutrition. This is the reason why coarse grains have become the center of attraction all over the world today and their new dishes are being served in big events.

Since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, has been organizing programs in different parts of the country to promote millets. ASSOCHAM is assisting the Ministry in this work. Earlier, Shree Anna Mela and exhibition has been organized in Almora, Uttarakhand and Agra, Uttar Pradesh. In this episode, Shri Anna Mela is now being organized in Surat, Gujarat. Through these events, people are being motivated to cultivate and increase production of various coarse grains like Bajra, Jowar, Ragi, Jhangora, Konni, Mandua.

A technical session on the health benefits of millets will also be organized in this two-day program to be organized at the Platinum Hall of the Surat International Exhibition and Convention Center, located at Althan Road, Sarsana, near Khajod Chaukdi, Surat. In this session, a presentation will be made on the PMFME scheme by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Prof. Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Dr. Vipul J. Somani, Department of Mahatma Gandhi Rural Studies, Ms. Sukanya Podugala, Assistant Director, FSSAI, Ahmedabad and many other experts will participate. In the program on the second day, a special session will be organized to discuss the creation of profitable value chain of millets, in which senior officials of the Agriculture and Irrigation Departments of the Government of Gujarat will participate. Apart from this, officials of NABARD, SIDBI, NSIC and ASSOCHAM will also be present.

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