Millet flakes prove a big hit at mela

Millet flakes were a huge hit at the 5th Organic and Millets Mela organised by the Agriculture department in association with Jaivik Krishik Society at Malleswaram Government School Grounds on Saturday. The flakes made from the most commonly consumed millet ragi as also foxtail, barnyard and kodo millets, etc, were sold by more than 150 stalls at the two-day mela.

The stalls selling organic products left no stone unturned to market millet flakes as a replacement for puffed rice and corn. Aurovika, a stall, offered nine varieties of millets to the visitors. Kavitha, owner of the shop, said millets were simple to cook and took less time than instant noodles. The mela also had stalls offering pongal, kichdi, bisi bele bath, pulav, dosas and many more delicacies made of millets, besides ragi sohan papdis and millet burfis.

Master Chef of ‘Green Path,’ one of the stalls, said they had millet pizza bases priced at Rs 200, besides kaju millet burfi, beetroot tart and millet rasagolla. A wide-variety of vegetable seeds, grains, organic juices, plants, herbal products, organic manure were on sale at the event. 

The mela was organised as a prelude to the ‘National Trade Fair 2017- Organics and Millets’ scheduled to be held in the city from April 28 to 30 at the Palace Grounds. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Agriculture Minister Krishna Byregowda said Rs 10 crore was set aside for the fair, which aimed at promoting millets as primary crops. The minister said the government was also thinking of including millets in the mid-day meals.