The food products of millets, especially from ragi will be presented at the five-day SIAL (Salon International de l’ alimentation), which started on Saturday. Around 7,200 participants from 200 countries are participating in the fair, where they will display the latest trends and innovations in the food industry. The women participants from Odisha will display different products of millet and describe its nutritional values, ?the officer said.

Chandrana Sahu of Chirikipada Sasan in Ganjam district’s Polasara block, Prema Das of Sundargarh district, Padmalaya Mohanty and Reena Bohaidar of Khurda district are participating in the event. The participants from the state will display the 'mandia' (millet) biscuits, 'pakoda', soup, laddoos and others besides the 'chuna (powder) and raw ragi, said a senior officer of the Mission Shakti.

The Odisha government has decided to celebrate November 10 as millets day. "Chandram Sahu, the president of a WSHG, is an expert in preparing different cooking products from millets. She has taken training for it three years ago," said Kiran Kumar Sahu, Polasara block project coordinator, Mission Shakti. Besides she prepares various millet items and also cultivated the ragi in around one-acre of land, he said.

Before she left for Paris on Thursday, Odisha Labour and Employment minister Srikant Sahu wished her success in the International event. "The state government has been laying much importance on the promotion of millets. We wish our participants in the International food fair will do well and bring pride to the state," said Sahu, who is from Polasara. Besides to celebrate Millets Day, the state government has also included millet snacks in all official meetings.

(With PTI inputs)