News India Live, Digital Desk: Superfood: With the increase in health awareness around the world, Indians are re -examining traditional food knowledge. In the clean food movement, the ancient grains are again rising strongly. There is an emerging headline ragi from the culinary traditions of India, which has been forgotten by urban diets and in rural areas it is considered to be the grain of the poor, but now it is coming out and is being sold as Quinoa of India.
Quinoa is preferred for its protein and gluten-free properties among urban Indians, while Ragi is proving to be an alternative to local, durable and high nutritional value. Statistics tell the story. A report by the IMARC group stated that the Indian millet market reached Rs 310 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow from CAGR of 4.7% from 2024 to 2032. According to the Indian Bajra Research Institute (IIMR), consumption in urban areas has increased by more than 30% in the last five years, more than any other millet.
All this has happened to a large extent with the cooperation of the government. Last year, 2023, the International Millet is approved by the United Nations, and the India is leading this campaign to re-establish ragi for climate-resistant farming and to make nourishment. There is also the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is promoting ragi in public distribution system and mid -day meal, installing it as an affordable tool against malnutrition.
From villages to vegetarian cafes: urban change of ragi
The use of ragi has generally been limited to the ragi issues of Karnataka, Ragi Dosa of Tamil Nadu or Ragi Sangati of Andhra. Now we are watching Ragi using breakfast grains, energy bars and pasta as well as cookies, baby food and plant-based milk. According to the retail data from Bigbasket and Amazon India, the sale of ragi products by 2024 has increased by 62% year-on-year. Ragi’s highest demand is coming from Millennials and Jane Jaders who want health and inherited foods in their diet.
Future grains: Ragi’s role in food security
Ragi is not only nutritious, but also good for climate. It can also be grown in dry and semi-dry regions even less or without irrigation, and is resistant to pests, so ragi can be a beneficial grain for the multi-year-old people of India. With constant waves of climate change and food security issues, the unique feature of the ragi is that it is capable of improving the soil using bad soil without synthetic fertilizers, which makes it sweet like honey. Institutes are developing bio-fortified varieties of ragi (eg IIMR), and can help in dealing with anemia and osteoporosis in women and children by strengthening it with micronutrients. The economic and health implications of this CAGR price chain will be very large.
India is at a unique intersection, where ancient traditions meet from the era of innovation and local dishes attain international status. While consumers desire fast healthy and more durable options, the ragi has become a superfood of the future. Thanks to nutritionist, cooks, policy makers and celebrities advocating ragi, Ragi’s rise also highlights a major trend in the Indian food story: returning to its roots with innovation.
India is leading the global millet movement, so we should also remember that all the most important answers of global health trends do not come from imported shelf in supermarkets, but come from the land we stand on! Ragi is not a new quinoa; It is better, more bold, and most importantly it is ours.
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