New millet processing facility comes up at CSIR-CFTRI

New millet processing facility comes up at CSIR-CFTRI Updated – August 20, 2026 08: 22 pm IST – MYSURU.

Key points

• The facility was inaugurated by Rajan Aggarwal, Executive Director and CEO, Milltec Machinery Private Limited, Bengaluru, and Giridhar Parvatam, Director, CSIR-CFTRI.
• CSIR-CFTRI Director Giridhar Parvatham and Rajan Aggarwal, Executive Director and CEO, Milltec Machinery Private Limited, Bengaluru during the launch of secondary millet processing facility.
• It operate at capacities of around 500-1, 000 kg, the new facility has been designed for operations in the range of 10-50 kg per day.
• The facility is aimed at supporting farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and other grassroots enterprises in converting millets into value-added, market-ready foods.
• Speaking on the occasion, Giridhar Parvatam, Director, CSIR-CFTRI remarked the facility would assist bring modern secondary processing technologies closer to farmers and grassroots enterprises.

CSIR-CFTRI Director Giridhar Parvatham and Rajan Aggarwal, Executive Director and CEO, Milltec Machinery Private Limited, Bengaluru during the launch of secondary millet processing facility. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement.

CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysuru inaugurated a new secondary millet processing facility established with financial backing from Milltec Machinery Private Limited, Bengaluru, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative lately. The facility is aimed at supporting farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and other grassroots enterprises in converting millets into value-added, market-ready foods.

For context, the facility was inaugurated by Rajan Aggarwal, Executive Director and CEO, Milltec Machinery Private Limited, Bengaluru, and Giridhar Parvatam, Director, CSIR-CFTRI.

As a premier institution in food science and processing technology, CSIR-CFTRI has been developing technologies for the primary and secondary processing of millets, recognising their growing importance as nutritious and climate-resilient cereals. The newly established facility is designed particularly for small-scale processing, demonstration and hands-on training, bridging the gap between laboratory-scale technologies and commercial production, the institute remarked.

Unlike the institute's existing millet processing facilities. It operate at capacities of around 500-1, 000 kg, the new facility has been designed for operations in the range of 10-50 kg per day. This makes it particularly suitable for technology demonstration, skill development and training of FPOs, SHGs, farmers and aspiring rural entrepreneurs, according to a press release.

In practice, the facility is equipped with a range of secondary processing machines, including a popping unit with a capacity of up to 20 kg per hour; a continuous papad-making machine with a capacity of up to 20 kg per hour, capable of producing millet-based papads with adjustable flattened diameters ranging from 1 to 6 inches; and a continuous air-frying system for millet-based snacks and ready-to-eat products using hot-air heating.

It additionally houses a 50-litre batch vacuum fryer, capable of operating under vacuum conditions of up to 650 mmHg, along with a pasta extruder, deep-oil fryer and de-oiling unit. Together, these systems enable the development and demonstration of a wide variety of millet-based snacks, papads, pasta and other value-added products.

Speaking on the occasion, Giridhar Parvatam, Director, CSIR-CFTRI remarked the facility would assist bring modern secondary processing technologies closer to farmers and grassroots enterprises. "This facility provides industrial-grade secondary processing capability directly in the hands of farmers and grassroots enterprises. It is a practical step towards turning India's millet potential into everyday, market-ready food."

Mr. Rajan Aggarwal remarked the initiative reflected the company's commitment to strengthening the millet value chain. "We are proud to partner with CSIR-CFTRI in building infrastructure that farmers, FPOs and SHGs can put to work right away."

For context, the facility is projected to serve as a hands-on technology demonstration and training platform, enabling entrepreneurs and farmer groups to gain practical experience in secondary millet processing, product development and value addition. It will additionally facilitate the adoption of appropriate processing technologies, improve technological competitiveness and create opportunities for rural entrepreneurship and income generation, the CFTRI explained.

With the growing demand for convenient, nutritious and value-added millet foods, the new facility is projected to strengthen the connection between millet production, processing, entrepreneurship and markets, contributing to the wider development of India's millet value chain, the institute stated.

In short, new millet processing facility comes up at CSIR is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.