Lost Millet Resurgence

Millets have historically been overshadowed by major cereals like rice, wheat, and barley, receiving far less research and attention. Often categorized as “minor cereals” in national and FAO statistics, this reflects a longstanding European bias against millets, particularly among former colonial powers in Northern and Western Europe where millet cultivation was minimal. This undervaluation during the colonial period set a precedent that continues to influence modern agricultural organizations.

The decline of millet prominence, which began in the Early Historic period (circa 300 BC-1000 AD), is difficult to trace due to limited textual and archaeological evidence. In ancient India, the physician Sushruta classified millets as ‘kudhanya varga’ or inferior grains, possibly due to their strong taste. Given a choice, people tend to prefer the milder flavors of wheat and rice. Ironically, millets are now recognized for their nutritional benefits and their role in sustaining agriculture and civilization during periods of climatic change, such as the late Harappan period with its decreasing rainfall.

The decline of millets in the Indian diet began in the late 1960s when rice and wheat became more widely available at affordable prices. The Green Revolution introduced high-yielding varieties of rice and wheat from the Philippines and Mexico, making their cultivation more profitable. Millets did not benefit from such productivity-enhancing genes. Consequently, wheat expanded into non-traditional areas in eastern and southern India, while rice spread to western India. This shift was further supported by subsidized fertilizers and increased irrigation from dams. Government schemes providing rice and wheat at highly subsidized prices accelerated the disappearance of millets from Indian kitchens.

Despite these challenges, millets retained some presence in agriculture due to the development of hybrids in sorghum and pearl millet, which more than doubled their productivity. High-yielding varieties of finger millet from exotic crosses also helped sustain production, providing increased income for farmers. Millets also produced valuable fodder, crucial for livestock in dryland agro-ecologies, maintaining production levels even as the area under millet cultivation decreased.

However, millets faced further reduction in cultivation areas, especially in the 1980s and beyond, due to the expansion of soybean, which thrived in drylands and was highly profitable. Additionally, more land was brought under irrigation, and state incentives promoted groundwater exploitation. In the last 15-20 years, millets lost significant cultivation area to crops like cotton and maize.