District Food Safety dept to hold millet fair in Malda on Dec 23 & 24

Malda: The Food Safety department of the district administration is going to organise a Millet Fair in English Bazar to promote the consumption of this mineral rich food. The programme is in compliance with the International Year of Millets in 2023 being celebrated by the United Nations.

On December 23 and 24, this programme will be held in the Suvankar Shishu Udyan, a park, near the Collectorate Building, office of the District Magistrate, for building up public awareness about the food.

Further, the success of Malda in the ‘Eat Right Challenge’ securing third spot in the country this year will also be celebrated by felicitating some selected traders for maintaining health and hygiene standards in this 2-day programme.

Students of schools and colleges will also be involved through quiz, poster making, sit and drawing competitions. To add festivity, various cultural activities will also be included.

Some selected cooked recipes of millet will also be showcased on 15 stalls in the event. The visitors of this fair will also have the delight to taste these recipes free-of-cost.

Notably, the United Nations General Assembly at its 75th session in March 2021 declared 2023 the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023).

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN is the lead agency for celebrating the year in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders. Millets can grow on arid lands with minimal inputs and are resilient to changes in climate. They are therefore an ideal solution for countries to increase self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imported cereal grains.

Prashanta Baidik, district food safety inspecting officer, said: “Our food habits in general contain carbohydrate and protein but lack in providing sufficient minerals. Here come millets with protein and minerals. Excess consumption may lead to some health hazards like constipation but one or two millet meals in a week can surely make up the mineral deficit in our body.”

Piyush Salunke, Additional District Magistrate general Malda, said: “We want to organise the Millet Mela (fair) as a festival and want to involve more people for the success of the event and its objectives. We welcome as many people as possible to the event. “