A Study On Consumers Perception of Millets As A Staple Food

A Study on Consumers Perception of Millets as a Staple Food
(A dissertation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
Master of Commerce (International Business),
Bangalore University, Batch: 2017- 2019)
By:
Jerin Geo Jos

17SJCCMIB015
Under the guidance of:
Prof. Veenu Joy
JANUARY 2019
St. Joseph’s College of Commerce (Autonomous)

ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE OF COMMERCE
(Autonomous)
163, BRIGADE ROAD, BENGALURE – 560 025. INDIA
POST GRADUATE DEPARTMENT
Date: 30 January, 2019
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Mr. Jerin Geo Jos studying in M.Com (IB) IV Semester
(Reg. No.17SJCCMIB015) has completed her/his project work entitled “A
Study on Consumers Perception of Millets as a Staple Food” under the
guidance of Prof. Veenu Joy.
Dr. Shubhra Rahul, Dr. Daniel Fernandes, SJ.
Reaccredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade. Recognized by UGC as a college with potentials for
excellence
Phone: 080 – 25360643, 25360644, 25360646 Fax: 080 – 25540378
Email: pgdept@sjcc.edu.in www.sjcc.edu.in
ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE OF COMMERCE
(Autonomous)
163, BRIGADE ROAD, BENGALURE – 560 025. INDIA
POST GRADUATE DEPARTMENT
Date: 30 January, 2019
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this dissertation entitled “A Study on Consumers

Perception of Millets as a Staple Food” has been prepared by Mr. Jerin Geo Jos,
M.Com (IB) IV Semester (Reg. No. 17SJCCMIB015) student of St. Joseph’s College
of Commerce (Autonomous), affiliated to Bangalore University, in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of
Commerce (International Business) under my guidance and supervision.
Prof. Veenu Joy

Place: Bangalore. Research Guide.
Reaccredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade. Recognized by UGC as a college with potentials for
excellence
Phone: 080 – 25360643, 25360644, 25360646 Fax: 080 – 25540378
Email: pgdept@sjcc.edu.in www.sjcc.edu.in
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It is my utmost privileged to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who gave me their

extended hand to help me during the course of this research. I sincerely appreciate
their constant support by way of constructive criticism, profitable advices and
guidance during the project work. The knowledge and wisdom which they have
shared with me is immense towards the completion of this project. I would like to
cease this opportunity to thank all of them who have contributed in a great way as
well as in the small ways which is equally important.
I would first like to thank Dr. Daniel Fernandes SJ. Principal and Dr. Shubhra Rahul,
HOD-PG Department, St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, for giving me this
opportunity to work on this project.
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my thesis advisor Prof. Veenu Joy. She
has always been a strong support and pillar during every stage of this research process.
By constantly encouraging me and guiding me at every stage, her help that I have
received is immense. As a perfect guide, she helped at all the crucial junctures of taking
important decision regarding the study that gave me the exposure of conducting a
research successfully. I also thank from my heart all of my professors and friends who
gave me an immense help during the study.
I would also like to thank the participants in my survey, who have willingly shared
their precious time during the process of collecting information. I would like to thank
my loved ones who have supported me throughout the process, both by keeping me at
a comfortable level and helping me putting the pieces together.
PLACE: Bengaluru Jerin Geo Jos
DATE: 30/01/2018 (17SJCCMIB015)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER CHAPTER NAME PAGE

NO. NO.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
1 INTRODUCTION 3
1.1 HISTORY OF MILLET IN INDIA 3
1.2 REASONS FOR CHANGE 3
1.3 RESULTS OF THE CHANGE 3
1.4 INTRODUCTION TO MILLET 4

1.5 GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION AND PRODUCTION OF MILLETS 6
1.6 DISTRIBUTION OF MILLETS IN INDIA 7
1.7 TYPES OF MILLETS 8

1.7.1 SORGHUM 8
1.7.2 FINGER MILLET 8
1.7.3 PEARL MILLET 8
1.7.4 PROSO MILLET 9
1.7.5 KODO MILLET 9
1.7.6 FOXTAIL MILLET 10
1.7.7 BARNYARD MILLET 10
1.7.8 LITTLE MILLET 10
1.8 POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILLETS 11
1.9 POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO FARMERS 12
2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 13
3 RESEARCH DESIGN 19
3.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 19
3.2 NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY 19
3.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 20

3.4 HYPOTHESIS 20
3.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 20
3.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 21

3.6 TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS 21
3.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 22
3.9 CHAPTER SCHEME 23
4 ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE STUDY 25
5 FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS & CONCLUSION 54
5.1 FINDINGS 54
5.2 SUGGESTIONS 56
5.3 CONCLUSION 57
6 BIBLIOGRAPHY&ANNEXURE 58
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The history of millets in India dates back to several centuries. It was the staple food in the
country for majority of hears. However, within a century, the consumption pattern
underwent tremendous change in the country. The consumed of refines polished grains
increased considerable. Studies have proven that several diseases that are prevailing
including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases could be caused duo to the
extensive reliance on rice and wheat. The nutritional composition of the same is much
lower in rice and wheat when compared to millets.In the recent past, there are a lot of
arguments against the consumption of rice and wheat owing to the health impacts caused
by the high calorie food items. The study conducted by (Hu, Pan, Malik, & Sun, 2012b)
proves the associated risk of type 2 diabetes due to the consumption of white rice in a
selected population. The awareness regarding such health hazards has led the change in
the pattern of consumption to other alternatives such as millets, oats, cereals etc. This
change in the consumption pattern is also caused due to other health reasons such as heart
related issues and other diseases which forces the consumers to look out for low calorie
food items.
Among all other food items, the awareness regarding millets among the general public as
a food grain is less all over India. There are several studies conducted with respect to the
health benefits of using millets (Shahidi & Chandrasekara, 2013). It includes high
amounts of fibre, amino acids and vitamins (Hulse, Laing, & Pearson, 1980). It is also
understood that millets were the main food crop among all the Asian countries including
India as per history whereas rice and wheat had gained its importance only a few decades
ago (d’Alpoim Guedes, 2011). Millets could be a healthy alternative solving several
health condition of the people especially in a country like India where the production of
millets is at a high scale.
Millets have also found favour in the eyes of the farmers as they are a type of dry crop
with less cost needed for fertilization and other care. The climate in India on a majority
land are is also very suitable for the growth of millets which improve the living condition
of the farmers as they obtain higher yields from the harvesting of such crops with a less
ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 1

percentage probability for the failure of the crop. The event of losing the crop due to
climatic changes are less prone in the cultivation of millets. This may bring about a
phenomenal change in the lifestyle of farmers in the country.
However, the present production of millets is very minimal in the country as the demand
for the same is negligible in the economy. The production of millets are at a maximum in
India. Karnataka state is said to be the millets capital of India. As the production of
millets is maximum in the country, it also gives ample opportunity for the producers to
export millet to other countries that are demanding the product such as Germany (“OEC -
Millet (HS92: 100820) Product Trade, Exporters and Importers,” n.d.).
This gives a large scope for this study which tries to identify the consumer’s perception
of millets as a staple food. The benefits of the study is twofold. Firstly it reveals the
perception of consumers in two selected areas regarding their attitude towards the
consumption of millets which is a healthier alternative. Secondly it gives a strong boost
to the farmers in the country as the analysis regarding the export will ultimately help
them to earn more as they will be able to produce millet crops which face much less
failure due to seasonal fluctuation and sell the same in the international market for better
prices. However the challenge that is faced by the farmer is that of price guarantee,
because as of now the consumption of millets in the state is just picking up. In the near
future, we expect to see much higher demand for millets in the country.
This study has a two-fold objective. At the completion of the study, it is aimed at
achieving these objectives. Firstly, it is for the study of the consumer’s awareness and
their perception towards millets as a staple food. Secondly, it is aimed and understanding
the trend and pattern of millet production and demand including it’s export and import
patterns. The research may help in boosting the development of the agricultural sector in
the economy and also increase their earnings through increased demand for the millets
especially through export promotions and increased consumer awareness.
Keywords : Millets, Consumers Perception, Bangalore, Cochin

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. History of Millet in India
The history of millet extends to the Middle Jeulmun Pottery Period which is around
3500 – 2000 BC. It is also noticed that the record of millet is captured in the oldest
Yajurveda texts. Millet was widely produced and consumed in India even prior to a
period of 50 years. It was a widely accepted food grain even considered to be a staple
food to many families in the country. However the pattern and perception of consumers
towards millets has taken a sea-change. It has been considered as a “coarse grains” by
modern consumers especially by those who are in the urban area and prefer to consume
a more refined diet. In this transition, there was a lot of sacrifice that had to be made in
terms of the nutritional value. (Agrawal, 2017)
1.2. Reasons for Change
One of the reason that there was a change in the consumption pattern is because millets
grow in diverse conditions even with a low input yielding high productivity. These
attributes of millets does not promote the high investment in agro based machinery,
seeds that are processed and hybrid, chemical based fertilizers and pesticides. These act
as a force pulling down the millet industry through some percentage of lucrative
economic strategy. It seems that government took a stand to promote chemical
agriculture considering that in the long run, it would give us a better food security.
However, the strategy has caused the country to lose its naturally favourable crop that
suits the climatic conditions of the land and replaces with rice and wheat which are
substandard in terms of their nutritional value.
1.3. Results of the change
The following table is the comparison of the nutritional composition of rice and what
with millets. There are numerous aspects in which the millets are much more beneficial
and a healthier option to be consumed as staple food when compared with rice and
wheat. The table proves this point.

Source: Hulse and others (1980): United States National Research Council
All the nutritional advantages that millets are giving is limited by the substitution of it
with rice and wheat as our staple food. There are numerous studies that have been
conducted that proves the ill effects of consuming rice. One among them is that the
consumption of rice increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (Hu, Pan, Malik, & Sun,
2012a; Sun, 2010).
1.4. Introduction to Millets
Millets are a cereal crop which is sized small usually. They are the seeds of few
particular type of grasses. Africa and Asian countries have been using these cereal crops
in their consumption pattern. It is consumed by both humans as well as domesticated
animals as their fodder. It is a kind of dry crop that can be grown in semiarid tropical
regions. The climate usually suited for the cultivation of millets are found in the
continents of Africa and Asia. It is calculated that 97 percent of the entire world’s millet
production occurs in the regions of Africa and Asia.
Over the past years, we have seen a lot of changes in the food habits of the people. This
has attracted the consumption of healthy foods in the daily lifestyle of the common man.
This is majorly a result of the awareness that is generated among the consumers. The
awareness that is created among the consumers could be also be and influence caused
by the media that is operating in the world. The awareness of healthy lifestyles is widely
circulated in the media especially through the internet. We could term such changes as a
healthy food revolution. In such a scenario, the nutrient rich cereals have a very

important role to play. The upcoming generations are more benefited out of these
changes as they are fed from a young age with such nutrition rich diet. Given this
scenario, we could easily anticipate the perspective of growth for the millet industry in
the country and outside. The future seems to be quite pleasing when we analyse the
market and its trends.
These tiny grains (millets) are loaded with much quantity of minerals and vitamins. The
added advantage of millets are that it is also gluten-free. Even though millets are
actually grains, they are usually referred to as grains because the texture and consistency
of millets are very much similar to that of a grain.
As per the history of our country, millets were usually considered as the poor mans
food. It was widely consumed by the weaker sections of the economy who could not
afford the costly polished grains such as rice and wheat. Even now the consumption of
millets is popular among the poorer sections of the society and it is widely used among
several tribal communities in Asia as well as in Africa. Now the trend is changing as a
food consumed by the poor to a healthier choice of food. With the wider variety of
recipes available, it is finding its way out to the regular food lifestyle of many in the
country as well as in the world.
The importance of millet is gained from the fact that it is a drought-tolerant grain. The
use of the same is on a very high rate off increase in developing countries such as ours,
China and few African countries. The need and importance for millet is even more
significant because of water shortage and the rise in population in several parts of the
world. Millet is proven to be one of the most drought-resistant grain. It is also holding
the 6th position in being the most produced cereal crop. The resistance it has against
pests and diseases and the short duration before harvest only adds more benefits to the
farmers growing millet. Developing countries mainly see millet as a good substitute for
consumption whereas the developed countries also see its other advantages such its use
in the manufacturing of bioethanol and biofilms.

The various types of millets that are consumed includes the following:
1. Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor)
2. Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)
3. Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum)
4. Proso Millet (Penicum miliaceum)
5. Kodo Millet (Paspalum setaceum)
6. Foxtail Millet (Setaria italic)
7. Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa utilis)
8. Little Millet (Panicum sumatrense)
Source: (Dayakar Rao, Malleshi, Annor, & Patil, 2017)
1.5. Global Distribution and Production of Millets

As per the result published by FAO statistics (2009), it is a total production of 26.7
million metric tonne which is cultivates from the total land of 33.6 million hectare.
In 2002, there was a drastic decline in the production of millets all over the world
which had dropped to 23.3 million metric tons which was earlier an area of 33.3
million hectare. In the year 2009, African continent became the largest producer of

millets with a production of 20.6 million metric tons. The second largest producer
was identified to be Asia continent with the total production of 12.4 million metric
tonnes. India was at a level of producing 10.5 million metric tonnes. According to
the study conducted in 2002, Sorghum stands in the 5th position when comparing
the production and area planted after wheat, rice, maize and barley. It also accounts
for 5% of the world production of cereals (Belton & Taylor, 2002). Africa is the
country that produces largest quantity of Sorghum in 2014 contributing 42% of the
total world production.
The production of pearl millets at the global level has come down from 32.8 million
tonne in 2010 to 28.4 million tonnes during 2014. The continents that contribute the
maximum towards millet production is Africa and Asia producing more than 98% of
the global production. The share of African countries towards the global production
of millets came down from 49.22% in 2010 to 43.72% during 2014. The same
period, the production in the Asian continent increased from 48.72% to 52.25%.
1.6. Distribution of millets in India

In the list of the top-most countries producing millets, India is the first in the years
2000 and 2009. The country that produces the second largest quantity of millets is
Nigeria for the same period. There are eight millet species that is mostly cultivated
in India under the condition of rain fed. There is also a trend seen in the areas where
it is grown that at least 4 to 5 species are grown. Some are grown as primary crop
and some as allied crop. For instance, in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh
and Maharashtra, Sorghum is considered as a major crop while in the southern
regions of India, the same is considered as a fodder crop.
Usually the distribution of millets as primary or allied crop is decided basis the
growing habitat and the quantity of water that is received in that area.

1.7. Types of Millets

1.7.1. Sorghum
It is considered as a hot season crop which cannot grow in the situation of less
temperatures. It has a characteristic of being resistant to the problems of pests and
other diseases. It is mostly produced in the continent of America as a fodder crop.
1.7.2. Finger Millet

Finger millet is a type of grass that grows cereal and it is mostly grown to take the
benefit of its grain. The name of finger millet came from the shape of the millet in
the form of 4-19 finger like spikes. It looks like spikes from a fist. Finger millet is
usually consumed in the states of Africa and South Asian countries. The crop is
considered to be famine friendly as it could be stores easily for many years. The
other benefits of the crop includes the fact that is easily digestible, high nutrition
value and that the process of consuming it is very much similar to that of rice. It has
the versatility to be converted into other forms such as porridge, flour, or it can also
be used to make cakes. Another way in which the same could be consumed is by
sprouting the same and use it for the young children and the older people. This
millet is also used in some countries to make liquor through several procedures. The
Primary use of Finger millet is as a food crop and it is not largely used for feeding
the animals as fodder.
1.7.3. Pearl Millet

The origination of this type of millet can be traced to the middle region of the
African continent where the areas are drier. It is also distributed in India.
Domestication of the same is usually to consume it as a food crop and it can be
traced back to 4000 to 5000 years. There are evidences that this type of millets were
found in the central highlands of the great Sahara. Because of its nature of its ability
to be grown in the semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia, it is widely distributed
among these areas. Because of the heavy temperatures that it can withstand, the crop

is grown in non-traditional areas and in extreme temperatures of certain countries.

Its capacity to withstand diseases also adds to its popularity among the consumers
and producers. It has been proven to be grown even under the condition of a
drought, low fertile soil and high temperatures. The soils with high salinity and low
PH is also a condition in which the crops can survive.
1.7.4. Proso Millet

It is grown from a kind of grass that grows annually. The seeds on the grass grows
each year. The history of the crop goes back even to 2000 B.C. It has been reported
to be grown in the Europe continent, especially in the central region. This plant is
suitable to be grown in the dry regions of Russia, the area in the Middle East, the
plains of Northern India, in the continent of Africa, the plains of North America etc.
One of the advantage of this crop is that it is low demanding. The diseases that may
occur is still unknown. In the continent of Europe, Proso millets are usually used in
the organic farming system.
1.7.5. Kodo Millet

This type of millet is usually distributed among the tropics and subtropics regions in
the world. In the state of Uttar Pradesh in North India and in Kerala and Tamilnadu
of South India, this type of millet is an indigenous cereal. This millet provides a
good proportion of dietary nutrition that are essential for consumption. It has high
protein, low fat and a very rich fibre content. It is also very easy to digest in the
human body. It contains lecithin that helps the nervous system of the human body.
There are also some essential vitamins and minerals that are contained in such kind
of millets such as Vitamin B6, Folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium etc. Another
added advantage is that is contains no gluten. These are only few among the several
health benefits of consuming Kodo millet.

1.7.6. Foxtail Millet

Foxtail millet is said to be originated from China. It is also considered to be the
oldest cultivated crops in the world. The total production of Foxtail millets stands in
the second place when compared with the overall production of each millets. It also
holds an important position in the world agriculture as it provides food for millions
of people, mainly on the soils that are poor or marginal in the regions of Europe and
in the Asian continent where the climate is temperate, subtropical or tropical. It has
the capacity and versatility to be grown in the sea level or 2000 m above the sea
level. It cannot tolerate water logging. But it has the capacity to tolerate drought.
The type of millet gets this capacity through its early maturity. The growth of this
kind of millet helps it to be grown as a catch crop. Foxtail millets are usually used
for human consumption, poultry and to feed the caged birds.
1.7.7. Barnyard Millet

Barnyard millet can be considered as a multi-purpose millet as it is used for food as
well as for fodder. There is a huge store of protein in the grain that makes it an
excellent source of nutrition. It has a rich content of dietary fibre also containing a
good quantity of soluble and insoluble fractions. The content of Carbohydrates in
the millet is low, hence it allows the digestion to be slow. It also contains several
fatty acids such as linoleic acid followed by palmitic and oleic acid. It is highly
recommended for patients with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus. This
millet is also proven to reduce the glucose level in the blood and the high lipid
levels.
1.7.8. Little Millet
Little millet is domesticated in India. It is grown throughout the land and it is
limited to the altitude of 2100. The size of the millet is smaller when compared to
the other millets, hence this name. The nature of the millet is very similar to that of
Proso millets. It is also a desirable crop in view of its earliness and its capacity to
resist agro-climatic change. It is also considered as a good fodder for the cattle.

1.8. Potential Health Benefits of Millets
Source: www.lybrate.com
 Highly Nutritious
 Good for Coronary diseases
 Manages Sugar Level
 Promotes digestion
 Helps in detoxification
 Aids in sleep
 Good source of antioxidants
 Helps in preventing Celiac diseases
 Reduces risk of Colone cancer
 Helps in weight loss
 Helps to decrease high blood pressure

1.9. Potential Benefits to farmers
 Requires considerably less water

 Drought resistant crop
 Resistant to agro-climatic changes
 Easy to preserve and store
 High yielding even when cultivated in small quantities
 Doesn’t require chemical fertilizers and pesticides
 More resistant to diseases
 Suitable to the climatic situation in India

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
1. (Taylor, Schober, & Bean, 2006) In the article titled “Novel food and non-food uses
for sorghum and millets”, studied the several novel uses of millets and also identified
the non-food uses of the same. Millets are gluten-free and as such they help to reduce
coeliac disease which is causes inflammation to the small intestine lining. Gluten is
present in wheat, barley, rye and oats. Sorghum which belongs to the family of
millets contains antioxidant phenolics and cholesterol-lowering waxes. It is also
found that sor Other variables studied in the research includes other potential uses of
Sorghum and millets such as making gluten-free bread, cakes and cookies and snack
foods. Malting and brewing of millets is at an experimental stage according to the
study. The study comes to a conclusion that the there is a lot more scope for research
on millets and its potential is greatly untapped.
2. (d’Alpoim Guedes, 2011) studied in their paper titled “Millets, Rice, Social
Complexity, and the Spread of Agriculture to the Chengdu Plain and Southwest
China” about the history of the spread of rice and millet in the land of China. The
study tries to identify the various cultural phenomenon and other factors with regard
to the pattern of agriculture followed in China. The combination of growing rice
which is a wetland crop with foxtail millets which has the capacity to yield even in
arid and cold climate with a short seasonal cycle gave the farmers many advantages.
Hence, the pattern was followed widely and even spread to the whole South Asia.
3. In this study (Fuller, 2006), the author has identified the history of crops in India and
the regions they have been cultivated since the longest time that could be traced. The
article throws light into the advent of the semantic shift among millets and rice. As
per the study, there has been evidences of cultivation in Gujarat, Ganges region and
South India. It was suspected that little millets were grown in Gujarat, Brown top
millet, Brisely foxtail and Horse gram to be grown in South India. Rice was mostly
grown in the Ganges along with other millets. Long distance trade paved the way for
cash-crops like cotton and flax to be produced. The main problem that is addressed in

the study is to identify the development of agriculture in India basis the

archaeological proofs that are available.
4. (Dayakar Rao et al., 2017) in their study titled “Nutritional and Health Benefits of
Millets” identifies the need for consumption of millets due to the nutritional and
health benefits it is providing. The author talks about the fall in the production of
millets over the years. As per history, especially in the South Asia, millets were
grown and consumed on a larger scale as compared to others. The paper has
attempted to list all the important health benefits of using millets. The major once are
that they are gluten-free and are rich in fibre. The amount of minerals and B-complex
vitamins that are found in millets are at a larger scale when compared to rice and
wheat as per the study. Other benefits which are derived from the consumption of
millets are that it helps in the cardiovascular health, cancer and diabetes. It also helps
in detoxifying the body and helps in digestion. The study concludes by identifying the
ways in which, this untapped crop could be produced, processed and distributed to
generate income and improve the health of the consuming population.
5. The study titled “Millets: Nutritional composition, some health benefits and
processing - A Review” (Amadou, Gounga, & Le, 2013) identifies millets as one of
the most apt crops to grow in semi-arid and arid regions. It also have a lot of
nutritional values which makes it a good option for consumption as it provides
protein, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, dietary fibres and polyphenols. There is a
challenge that is identified in the study which is concerning the loss of fibre and other
nutrients in the process of milling. Nutritional components of millets are identified
along with other health benefits such as probiotic and prebiotic benefits, reduce
cholesterol, reduce the risk of cancer, helps in reducing diabetic heart diseases etc. It
is also identified that millets have antibacterial and antifungal activities. The study
extends to the various industry processes that could be used to preserve the millets
from losing its benefits.

6. (Saleh, Zhang, Chen, & Shen, 2013) in their study titled “Millet Grains: Nutritional
Quality, Processing, and Potential Health Benefit”, identifies the benefits of millets in
its nutritional value and the drought-resistant capacity of the crop. This makes it, an
ideal alternative of food especially to the poorer class in the society. The author
identifies the potential of millet to end hunger and reduce the affliction of the poor
considerably. The study was aimed at looking into the latest research works that has
been conducted in the topic of nutritional content of millets and the latest food
development technologies. This paper provides the best processes related to the
production, processing and consumption of millets. Several health benefits of
consuming millet is also systematically explained in the light of the latest researches
that has been conducted. Several inputs in the paper highlights the significance of
millet and impact it could bring upon the consumers with its potential benefits.
7. (Nambiar, Dhaduk, Neha, Tosha, & Rujuta, 2011) in their study titled “Potential
functional implications of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) in health and disease”
identifies the superiority factors of Pearl millet when compared to other food grains
and also other millets. They identifies the nutritional composition of Pearl millet that
gives ample advantages to the consumers. The high content of energy, less starch and
the high fiber that is contained in Pearl millets is higher than other millets. Pearl
millet also has 8-15 times greater amylase activity as compared to wheat and has no
gluten present in the food. The authors have also identified certain disease conditions
where Pearl millets are highly advisable to be consumed. The study proves the
benefits of consuming Pearl millet in the context if Indian sub-continent.
8. (Shobana et al., 2013) in her study titled “Finger Millet (Ragi, Eleusine coracana L.).
A Review of Its Nutritional Properties, Processing, and Plausible Health Benefits”
identifies the nutritional composition of Ragi (Finger Millet) and its health benefits. It
has been identifies that the highest amount of calcium and potassium in found in
Finger Millet. Other nutritional advantages of Ragi is that it is rich in dietary fiber,
minerals, sulphur and contains several amino acids which are not present in rice. The

several methods of processing millets is also described in the study. Even though the
nutritional content is high, the study reveals that in the recent trend, the consumption
of Finger Millet has gone down. Several health benefits have also been identified.
9. (Dicko, Gruppen, Traoré, Voragen, & Berkel, 2002) in their study titled “Sorghum
grain as human food in Africa: relevance of content of starch and amylase activities”
identifies the nutritional composition of Sorghum and its benefit of being consumed
as a human food especially in Africa. He study reveals why it is favourable to grow
Sorghum in the dry lands of the continent. Sorghum plays an important role in the
food security. It has been studied that Sorghum is a rich source of micronutrients and
macronutrients. The benefit of consuming Sorghum includes being a suitable food
grain for people suffering obesity and diabetes. It is also a good substitute for other
food grains by people who are allergic to gluten.
10. (Dykes & Rooney, 2006) also studied the millet phenols and antioxidants in their
study titled “Sorghum and millet phenols and antioxidants”. The nutritional
composition of Sorghum is studied in detailed in the research and it is compared with
other major millets. The antioxidants that are present in Sorghum is higher which is
an added advantage to the consumers consuming the same. The texture and colour of
the millets are also attributable to these chemical compositions in the millets. Stud
also identifies the presence of dietary fibres that are present in Sorghum.
11. (Gibson, Perlas, & Hotz, 2006) in their study titled “Improving the bioavailability of
nutrients in plant foods at the household level” studies the nutritional requirement of
families and compared it with the actual intake through the average consumption. The
study identifies strategies that are required at the household level such as to
counteract the inhibiting effects of the micronutrient bioavailability especially in the
developing countries. There is also a large role to be played by whole grains such as
millets which is an unpolished grain for the nutritional supplement to the consumers.
The study also suggests that the unrefined cereal such as millets could be used for
young child feeding in the form of porridges.

12. (Hu et al., 2012a) in their study titled “White rice consumption and risk of type 2
diabetes: meta-analysis and systematic review” identifies the risk of consuming rice.
It tried to summarise and figure out the relationship between white rice consumption
and risk of type 2 diabetes. It also tries to quantify the dose-response relationship of
white rice and diabetes. The study found that there is a negative impact of white rice
when consumed may cause type 2 diabetes. The result of the study was that higher
consumption of white rice is associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2
diabetes in the Asian population.
13. (Shahidi & Chandrasekara, 2013) in their study titled “Millet grain phenolics and
their role in disease risk reduction and health promotion: A review” studies the role of
millets in reducing certain diseases. They have identified that the benefit of millet is
largely underutilise and that it plays a very important role in the food security of
millions of people. The study looks into the bioactivities and the health benefits of
millet grains. The study finds that Phenolic compounds are found in millets which
adds the health benefits of consuming the same.
14. (Basha, Mason, Shamsudin, Hussain, & Salem, 2015) in their study “Consumers
Attitude Towards Organic Food” identifies the behaviour of consumers who are
shifting to a more healthy option of organic food and studies the trend in the same.
The study also identifies factors that cause such a change in the consumers. Some of
these factors include environmental concern, health concern and lifestyle, product
quality etc. This study also predicts the purchase intention of consumers based on
certain factors. It is proved in the study that the quality of products, environmental
concern, health concern and lifestyle are the most commonly stated motives for
purchasing organic food.
15. (Ozguven, 2012) in his study titled “Organic Foods Motivations Factors for
Consumers” identifies the major factors that consumer considers when purchasing
organic foods. The study identified four factors that are usually important for
consumers motivating them to buy organic foods. This has been identified using

factor analysing technique in the study. The four factors are health, quality, price and
food safety.

3. RESEARCH DESIGN
3.1. Statement of the Problem
There is a trend among the consumers is changing from a tasty meal to give priority to a
diet keeping in mind, the health benefits of the same. In such a changing consumer
behaviour, it is worthwhile to study the consumer’s preference of millets as a staple food
in the diet. It is a proven fact that the health benefits of millets when compared to rice and
wheat is high. However, it is noticed that the consumption of the same and the demand
for millets among the consumers is relatively low. The study thus aims at identifying the
consumer’s awareness of millets and their perception towards the same as a staple food.
The study also looks into the trend and pattern of millet production and demand in India
including its import and export patterns.
3.2. Need and Importance of the Study

The food habits of the consumers in today’s era is a one that causes concern to the
medical practitioners as it leads to more and more health issues such as diabetes and other
heart related problems. The daily diet also may not have a nutritional value that is
necessary for a healthy lifestyle. In such a given scenario, there is a highly advisable food
which are millets. Since they are proven to be of giving more health benefits, it’s
worthwhile to study regarding the same with relation to the customers and their
preference towards the same and their awareness regarding the food supplement.
The study is also relevant as the development in the millets industry would boost the
earnings of the farmers in the areas where the availability of water is at a scarce. This
will enable more farmers to use their resources to generate more revenue out of the sales
from millets with a little less investment for growing them. Millets are suitable to be
cultivated in the climatic conditions that are prevailing in India. This is an added
advantage to the study.

3.3. Objectives of the Study

The main objectives of the study are as under.
1. To understand the consumers preference of millets as a staple food.
2. To study and compare the awareness of millet and its health benefits among the
consumers in Bangalore and Kochi.
The study can also extend to fulfil other secondary objectives such as below in the future.
1. To identify and compare the trend and pattern of millet production and its import and
export trade.
2. To estimate the growth in the consumption of millets by the consumers.
3. To study the perception of farmers about the potential of cultivating millets.
4. To understand the perception of dieticians and other social experts in Bangalore and
Kochi with regard to the consumption of millets as a healthier alternative and as a
remedy to improve the agricultural society of the country.
3.4. Hypotheses
Objective – 1
H0 – There is no significant difference between the awareness of the health benefits of
consuming millets and the consumption pattern of millets.
H1 – There is significant difference between the awareness of the health benefits of
Objective – 2
millets among the consumers in Bangalore and the consumers in Cochin.
H1 – There is significant difference between the awareness of the health benefits millets
among the consumers in Bangalore and the consumers in Cochin.
3.5. Scope of the Study
The study is conducted only by comparing the preference of consumers for millets and
comparing their knowledge level for the same. The study is conducted in the city of

Bangalore and Kochi. As millets are gaining popularity in the present times, this study
helps to identify what the consumers perceive regarding the same.
3.6. Research Methodology
1. Type of Research – The research is an exploratory study to understand what is the
consumer’s perception and other consideration with regard to millets in specific.
2. Type of Data – Includes majorly primary data from the consumers. However
secondary data is also relied upon as expert opinions are considered for the purpose
of the research.
3. Sources of Data – Data is mainly collected through primary sources through
questionnaires. Some secondary source of the information is also used in the research
such as research articles from research journal, articles published by scholars, official
reports, Journals and other sources available on the web.
4. Data Collection Instruments – Questionnaires.
5. Sampling Design - The sample chosen for the study was cosumers who knows about
millets and those who doesn’t know. A total of 140 respondents were interviewed during
the survey. The input from these respondents which was collected in Bangalore city and
Cochin City formed the primary data for the study. Snow-ball sampling is the sampling
technique used in this study.
3.7. Tools For Analysis

 The analysis and tabulation of results were performed by the use of SPSS
 Descriptive Statistics
 One-Way ANOVA
 Pearson’s Correlation
 Charts and Graphs

3.8. Limitations of the Study

There is a concern regarding the farmer’s awareness regarding the scope of growing
millets and its potential. Due to the time constraint, the farmers perception is not
considered in detail in the study. The study is conducted among a limited sample size in
Bangalore and Kochi only. Other localities in the state and the country are not
considered for the study. The study is conducted for all the millets in general and not for
a particular type of millet. This may cause the results obtained from the study to remain
ambiguous to the readers of the paper.

3.9. Chapter Scheme

SL NO. CONTENT DESCRIPTION
This chapter includes the theoretical

background of the study. The various
1. INTRODUCTION aspects mentioned are all subject to
relevance with the title of the study.
This provides a detailed review of the

review of the research paper, articles
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
and journal published earlier
This chapter deals with statement of

problem, objectives of the study, scope
of the study, research methodology,
RESEARCH
3. sampling size, sources of data, tools
METHODOLOGY
used, plans of analysis and limitations
of the study
This chapter is the important part of the

study where data collected is analyzed
4. ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY
and interpreted.
This chapter basically summarizes the
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, Entire research with relevant

5. SUGGESTIONS, AND conclusions and suggestions for the
CONCLUSION
same.
This chapter contains all the reference

articles, journal, research paper, books,
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY and websites etc. which were referred
during the course of the study.


4. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE STUDY
4.1. Gender-wise comparison of the respondents

Table 1 – Gender of Respondents
Area of Residence * Gender Cross tabulation
Gender Total
Female Male
Bangalore 36 34 70
Area of Residence
Cochin 31 39 70
Total 67 73 140
Figure 1: Percentage of Gender of Respondents
Source : Primary

Figure 2: Bar-graph showing Gender wise distribution of respondents from Bangalore

and Cochin
Source : Primary
Inference
The table shows the number of respondents in Bangalore and Cochin respectively where
the study was conducted. Total number of respondents is 140 where 70 from each city
has given their responses. In Bangalore, 36 females and 34 males were the sample
whereas in Cochin, 31 females and 39 males have given their responses. In total, 67
females and 73 males are studied. Comparing the percentages, it is seen that 52% are
male respondents and 47.9% are female respondents.

4.2. Comparison Based on Age-groups of the respondents

Table 2 – Category of Age of the Respondents
Age Group of Respondents * Area of Residence Cross tabulation
Area of Residence Total
Bangalore Cochin
Below 18 3 3 6
18-25 25 11 36
25-35 17 24 41
Age Group of Respondents
35-45 13 23 36
45-55 9 6 15
Above 55 3 3 6
Total 70 70 140
Figure 3 –Bar-graph showing category of age of respondents
Source : Primary

Figure 4 – Pie-chart showing the percentage of respondents in each category of age
Source : Primary
Inference
The table shows the age-group of the respondents in each city of Bangalore and Cochin
respectively. The respondents in each city is consisting of different age groups from
Below 18 to above 55. Maximum respondents from Bangalore fall in the category of 18-
25 whereas the maximum respondents from Cochin falls into the category of 25-35. The
bar diagram represents the same data graphically. From the pie-chart, we can observe
that maximum respondents fall in the age-group of 25-35 which is 29.3% and the second
highest is the age-group of 18-25 which constitutes 25.7% of the total.

4.3. Comparison based on the educational qualification of the respondents

Table 3 – Table showing the educational qualification of the respondents
Educational Qualification * Area of Residence Cross tabulation
Bangalore Cochin
10th Standard 4 5 9
PUC (12th Standard) 1 7 8
Graduate 25 23 48
Educational Qualification
Post-Graduate 35 20 55
Doctorate 2 4 6
Professional Qualification 3 11 14
Total 70 70 140
Source: Primary
Figure 5 – Bar-chart showing the educational qualification of the respondents.

Source : Primary
Figure 6 – Pie-chart showing the educational qualifications of the respondents.
Source : Primary
Inference
Table 3 shows the educational qualification of the respondents in the sample. Most of the
respondents are either graduates or post-graduates. The number of post-graduates who
responded to the survey is considerably more in Bangalore. The pie-chart in Figure 6
shows the percentages of the educational qualification of the sample.

4.4. Comparison based on the occupational Status of the respondents

Table 4 - Table showing category of the Occupational status of the respondents
Occupational Status * Area of Residence Cross tabulation
Bangalore Cochin
Student 11 6 17
Home-Maker 2 7 9
Agriculture or Animal 1 3 4
Husbandry
Clerical / Other Employee 21 15 36

Categories
Occupational Status
Middle Level Manager / 15 14 29
Supervisor
Executive / Senior Manager 5 10 15
Professional 14 9 23
Self-employed 1 5 6
Unemployed 0 1 1
Total 70 70 140
Figure 7 – Pie-chart showing the occupational status of the respondents.

Source : Primary
Figure 8 – Bar-chart showing the occupational status of the respondents
Source : Primary
Inference
The occupational status of most of the respondents comes under the category of clerical
posts. The second highest frequency comes for the middle level manager or the
supervisory level. The occupational status also includes Executive / Senior Manager,
agriculture or animal husbandry, self-employed, professionals, Home-maker, students
and unemployed.

4.5. Comparison based on Income-level of the respondents

Table 5 - showing the income level of the respondents.
Income Level * Area of Residence Cross tabulation
Bangalore Cochin
Not Earning 15 15 30
Less than 20000 8 3 11

Income Level
20000-40000 37 24 61
Above 40000 10 28 38
Total 70 70 140
Source: Primary
Figure 9 – Bar-chart showing the income-level of the respondents

Source: Primary
Figure 10 – Pie-chart showing the income-level of the respondents

Source: Primary
Inference
The income level of the respondents from each city is categorised in Table 5. 61 respondents
among the total are earning between 20000 - 40000 which is the maximum number that
constitutes around 43% of the total. 38 respondents earn above 40000 which is around 27%
of the total. 30 respondents are not earning which a 21.4% of the total and 11 out of the
whole population is earning less than 20000 which constitutes 7.9% of the total.

4.6. Analysis of the basic awareness of the millet.

Table 6 – Table showing the basic awareness about millets among the respondents
Basic Awareness * Area of Residence Crosstabulation

Bangalore Cochin
No 1 17 18
Basic Awareness
Yes 69 53 122
Total 70 70 140
Figure 11 – Bar-chart showing the basic awareness of millets among the respondents.
Inference
For the basic question of have you heard about millets, the response given by the
respondents is recorded in the table 6. From the bar-diagram above, we can clearly
notice that almost all in Bangalore city have heard about millets. In Cochin City, 17 have
responded saying that they have never heard about millets. This comparison gives us a

broad perspective of the awareness among the people in the two cities regarding millets.
The number of respondents who are unaware of millets in Cochin is much more than
Bangalore City. There is only a very less percentage of people in Bangalore who are
unaware of millets. This could because of various reasons. As per the literature review,
millets are maximum cultivated in Karnataka. Since it is produced in the state where
Bangalore is situated, it could be the reason why there is more awareness among the
people. Other reasons would be the initiative by the government. Karnataka government
has taken several steps to promote the use of millets. Such as the international trade fairs
that are conducted. These might be the reason for the increased awareness among the
respondents from Bangalore when compared with the respondents from Kerala.

4.7. Analysis on the awareness of particular millets among the respondents

Table 7 – Showing the awareness of particular millets among respondents from
Bangalore City
Millets Respondents who have heard

Frequency %
Sorghum (Jowar) 44 62.86
Foxtail Millet 24 34.29
Finger Millet (Ragi) 49 70.00
Pearl Millet (Bajra) 30 42.86
Barnyard Millet 11 15.71
Kodo Millet 13 18.57
Little Millet 13 18.57
Proso Millet 14 20.00
Figure 12 – Bar-chart showing the awareness of particular millets among respondents

from Bangalore City

Source: Primary
Table 8 – Showing the awareness of particular millets among respondents from Cochin
City
Millets Respondents who have heard

Frequency %
Sorghum (Jowar) 29 41.43
Foxtail Millet 16 22.86
Finger Millet (Ragi) 45 64.29
Pearl Millet (Bajra) 25 35.71
Barnyard Millet 12 17.14
Kodo Millet 0 0.00
Little Millet 29 41.43
Proso Millet 4 5.71
Source: Primary
Figure 13 – Bar-chart showing the awareness of particular millets among respondents

from Bangalore City

Source: Primary
Inference
From the above two tables (Table 8 and 7) and the above two charts (Fig. 12 and 13), we
understand the awareness of the respondents towards the major listed millets. It is
evident from the data that respondents from both the city have a better awareness about
Finger Millet. The awareness of Sorghum is considerably high in Bangalore and
moderate in Cochin. Little millet is found to be more popular in the city of Cochin as
41% of the respondents have heard about the same. The awareness of all other millets
are low in the city of Cochin.
This trend could be due to the cultivation pattern in the land. Jowar is one of the main
ingredient in the diet of people from Karnataka. Hence, there is a considerably high
awareness regarding Jowar among the respondents in Bangalore. The traditional
knowledge that is passed on from the forefathers in the form of word of mouth and the
family cooking patterns are the main reasons for such awareness. This is identified
through personal interviews with the respondents. As only Finger milet and Little millet
are largely cultivated in Cochin and the state of Kerala, the awareness regarding the

same is also high among the people of Cochin city. However the awareness of Jowar is
also high as equal to the awareness of Little millet in Cochin. Kodo Millet, Proso Millet
and Barnyard millet are not much popular among the respondents of these two cities.
This could be due to many reasons such as lack of availability in the market, lack of
knowledge of the health benefits of these millets, lack of marketing activities by the
producers etc.

4.8. Analysis of the awareness about the health benefits of millets

Table 9 – Showing the awareness of the health benefits of the millets
Awareness of Health Benefits * Area of Residence Cross tabulation

Bangalore Cochin
Not Aware 0 12 12
Little Aware 4 18 22
Awareness of Health
Moderately Aware 19 24 43
Benefits
Almost Aware 29 10 39
Fully Aware 18 6 24
Total 70 70 140
Source: Primary
Figure 14 – 100% Stacked Stepped Area chart showing the percentage of awareness of
health benefits of millets in the two cities.
Source: Primary

Figure 15 – Bar-chart showing the rating given by the respondents for their awareness of
health benefits of millets from the two cities.
Source: Primary

Table 10 – Correlation between consumer attributes and awareness of the health benefits
of millets.
Correlation
Awareness of Health Benefits
Pearson Correlation -.493**
Area of Residence Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 140
Pearson Correlation .200*
Age Category Sig. (2-tailed) .018
N 140
Pearson Correlation .066
Income Level Sig. (2-tailed) .438
N 140
Pearson Correlation -.007
Educational Qualification Sig. (2-tailed) .938
N 140
Pearson Correlation -.090
Gender Sig. (2-tailed) .291
N 140
Pearson Correlation .347**
Occupational Status Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 140
Pearson Correlation 1
Awareness of Health
Sig. (2-tailed)
Benefits
N 140
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Inference
From the above analysis, we identify the awareness of the health benefits of millets by
the various customers. Table 9 shows the responses received from the respondents in

each of the city. The awareness of millets by the respondents from Bangalore is higher
than that from the respondents from Cochin. The hundred 100% stacked diagram in
Figure 14 explains the percentage of the respondents who have given their rating for
their awareness. The diagram shows that 75% of the respondents who are either fully
aware or almost aware of the health benefits of millets are from Bangalore and the
remaining are from Cochin. The bar-chart in Figure 15 also shows a similar trend in the
pattern. Pearson’s Correlation calculation in Table 10 shows the relationship between
several attributes of the consumers and the awareness of the health benefits of
consuming millets. Area of residence shows a negative correlation of -0.493 at a 0.00
significance level. This shows that the awareness about the health benefits of millets
changes considerably as the area of residence changes. We can also notice a weak
positive correlation of 0.200 between the age category and the awareness of millets. A
positive medium correlation of 0.347 is calculated between the occupational status of the
employees and their awareness about the health benefits of millets.
The respondents in Bangalore are more aware of the health benefits of millets. As
discussed earlier, this trend could be caused due to the several factors. From another
question that has been asked to the respondents, it is identifies that source of information
about the millets is majorly through word of mouth. Since traditionally, millets are more
used in Bangalore, there is considerable awareness regarding the same among the
people. However, in Cochin, the respondents are mostly unaware of the health benefits
of the millets. This might also be due to the policies of the government in creating
awareness among the people. It is observed from the recent strategies of the government
in Bangalore that a lot of support and awareness is created from the government side
towards the advantage of millets. One such method is by hosting the International
Organics and Millets Fest in Bangalore once in a year in association with the Institute for
millet research. Considering the benefits of millets to the consumers and farmers, the
government in Cochin also could launch policies that create the awareness among the
people concerning millets.

4.9. Analysis of the source of information about millets

Table 11 – showing the source of information about millets in the two cities.
Source of Information
Bangalore Cochin Grand Total
Advertisements 11 1 12
Dieticians and Doctors 4 1 5
Exhibitions 7 1 8
Magazines, Newspapers, Blogs and Other Social Media 4 30 34
TV Programmes 5 5 10
Word of mouth (Family and Friends) 39 32 71
Grand Total 70 70 140
Source: Primary
Figure 16 – Source of information in Bangalore
Source: Primary

Figure 17 – Source of information in Cochin
Source: Primary
Inference
In Table 11 we can see the sources of information from which the respondents came to
know about millets. Maximum information is gathered through word of mouth in both
the cities. The awareness generated through advertisements, exhibitions, doctors and
dieticians are negligible in Cochin when compared to that in Bangalore. In Cochin, after
word of mouth, the next highest source of data is through “Magazines, Newspapers,
Blogs and Other Social Media” The pie-charts reveal the percentages of each source of
data in the two cities respectively. It shows that more awareness could be generated in
Cochin through advertisements, exhibitions etc. Social media is playing a very important
role in spreading awareness of millets.
The analysis shows that the most effective way to create awareness among the people is
through the word of mouth. This trend is seen in both the cities. However the difference

we observe is that the awareness created through advertisement and exhibitions are
comparatively low in Cochin when compared with Bangalore. This difference may be
due to the government policies that is existing in the two cities. These means could be
used in the future to create more awareness among the people about millets. The
upcoming trend is to receive information through social media and internet. This pattern
is seen in Cochin as 42% of the respondents came to be aware of millets through
magazines, newspapers and internet. Such a method could be used in the initial phase
when the people are largely unaware. It could be the means to reach out to the maximum
number of people.
4.10. Analysis of the frequency of consuming millets

Table 12 – showing the source of information about millets in the two cities.
Frequency in Consuming Millets * Area of Residence Crosstabulation

Bangalore Cochin
Never 4 11 15
I have had millets but not 22 28 50
Frequency in Consuming once in a month
Millets At-least once in a month 12 20 32
At-least once in a week 28 9 37
At-least once in a day 4 2 6
Total 70 70 140
Source: Primary

Figure 18 – Bar-chart showing the frequency of consumption of millets in the two cities
Source: Primary
Inference
The consumption pattern of the consumption pattern could be seen the analysis above.
The frequency of the consumption of millets by the respondents is depicted in Table 18.
Majority of respondents have said that they are consuming millets less than once in a
month. Respondents who consume millets at least once in a week is also high. In the
figure 18, we could compare the results of the consumption pattern in the two cities. It is
very evident that consumers in Bangalore consume more frequently than consumers in
Cochin on an average. However there is still a large number of consumers who do not
consume even once in a month.

4.11. Analysis regarding the awareness of millets and the preference to consume millets
Objective – 1
H1 – There is significant difference between the awareness of the health benefits of
Table 13 – Descriptive Statistics regarding the awareness of millets and the preference to
consume millets
Descriptive Statistics
N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation

Awareness of Health 140 1 5 3.29 1.178
Benefits
Frequency in Consuming 140 1 5 2.78 1.087
Millets
Valid N (listwise) 140
Table 14 – One-way ANOVA table comparing the awareness of millets and the
preference to consume millets.
ANOVA
Frequency in Consuming Millets
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Between Groups 51.742 4 12.935 15.537 .000
Within Groups 112.394 135 .833
Total 164.136 139

Table 15 – Correlation between the awareness of millets and the frequency of

consumption in millets.
Correlations
Awareness of Frequency in
Health Benefits Consuming
Millets
Pearson Correlation 1 .551**
Awareness of Health
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
Benefits
N 140 140
Pearson Correlation .551** 1
Frequency in Consuming
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
Millets
N 140 140
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
Inference
The ANOVA table is used to test the hypotheses concerning the awareness of the health
benefits and the preference of the consumers towards the consumption of millets. The
ANOVA table gives a significance of 0.000 which is less than 0.05. This shows that the
difference among the sample means can be attributed to a chance that is less than 5%
level of significance. Therefore we can reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternate
hypothesis. The calculation proves that there is significant difference in the awareness of
the health benefits of millets and the consumption pattern of millets. Thus these two
variable affect each other. The correlation calculated in Table 15 shows a high degree of
positive correlation between the awareness of the health benefits of millets and the
frequency in consumption of millets. The correlation is also significant at the 0.01 level
of confidence.
If the awareness of the health benefits are increased among the consumers, as per the
test, their consumption will also be affected. Since the benefits of millets are plenty, the
government could take a stand to educate the people in the state with the health benefits
of millets. This can be done through the mass media, social media, exhibitions etc. In

Bangalore, the greater awareness has resulted in the greater consumption of millets. The
same pattern could be adopted by the concerned authorities in Cochin as well to increase
the level of consumption among the people.
4.12. Analysis regarding the awareness of millets and the preference to consume millets
Objective – 2

H1 – There is significant difference between the awareness of the health benefits millets
among the consumers in Bangalore and the consumers in Cochin.
Table 16 – Descriptive Statistics regarding the awareness of millets and the area of
residence
Descriptive Statistics
N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation

Awareness of Health 140 1 5 3.29 1.178
Benefits
Area of Residence 140 1 2 1.50 .502
Valid N (listwise) 140

Table 17 – One-way ANOVA table comparing the awareness of millets and the area of
their residence.
ANOVA
Area of Residence
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Between Groups 9.187 4 2.297 12.011 .000
Within Groups 25.813 135 .191
Total 35.000 139
Inference
The ANOVA table is used to test the hypotheses concerning the awareness of the health
benefits of millets in Bangalore and Cochin. The ANOVA table gives a significance of
0.000 which is less than 0.05. This shows that the difference among the sample means
can be attributed to a chance that is less than 5% level of significance. Therefore we can
reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternate hypothesis. The calculation proves that
there is significant difference in the awareness of the health benefits of millets among
the consumers in Bangalore and the consumers in Cochin. Thus these two variable affect
each other.
There is considerable difference in the awareness about millets in Bangalore and Cochin.
From the correlation that is done previously, we can understand that the difference in
the awareness about the health benefits of millets has also partially resulted in the
difference in the consumption of millets in these two cities.

5. FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS & CONCLUSION

5.1. Findings
The project had the aim of analyzing and finding out the consumer perception of
millets as a staple food. The field work was done with the help of the questionnaire
and the summary of the finding of the study are as follows.
 The basic awareness of millets is more in Cochin than in Bangalore. There
is a greater percentage of people in Cochin who have never heard of millets.
 In Bangalore city the consumers awareness of each millet is in the following
rank:
o Rank 1 - Finger Millet (Ragi)
o Rank 2 - Sorghum (Jowar)
o Rank 3 - Pearl Millet (Bajra)
o Rank 4 - Foxtail Millet
o Rank 5 – Proso Millet
o Rank 6 - Kodo Millet and Little Millet
o Rank 7 – Barnyard Millet
 In Cochin city the consumers awareness of each millet is in the following
rank:
o Rank 1 - Finger Millet (Ragi)
o Rank 2 - Sorghum (Jowar) and Little Millet
o Rank 3 - Pearl Millet (Bajra)
o Rank 4 - Foxtail Millet
o Rank 5 - Kodo Millet
o Rank 6 – Barnyard Millet
 Majority in Bangalore are aware about the health benefits of millets. There
is greater awareness of millets in Bangalore than in Cochin. Majority in
Bangalore fall in the category of almost fully aware or fully aware.

 There is a high positive correlation between the occupational status and the
awareness of the health benefits of millets. There is also a significant
negative correlation between the area of residence and awareness of the
health benefits of millets.
 In Bangalore city, maximum awareness about millets is through the word of
mouth and the second maximum is through advertisements.
 In Cochin city, maximum awareness about millets is through word of mouth
and the second maximum is through Magazines, Newspapers, Blogs and
Other Social Media.
 In Bangalore city, most of the consumers consume millets at-least once in a
week. The second maximum have had millets but less than once in a month.
 In Cochin city, most of the consumers consume millets less than once in a
month. That is, they rarely consume millets. The second highest number of
respondents consume millets once in a month.
 There is significant difference in the awareness of health benefits of millets
and the consumption of millets.
 There exist a positive correlation in the awareness of the health benefits of
millets and the frequency in the consumption of millets.
 There is significant difference in the awareness of the health benefits of

5.2. Suggestions
 Millet production and consumption is beneficial for the farmers and the
consumers.
 There could be more strategies that are created to encourage the
consumption of millets in the economy.
 There could be more business focusing on the selling and distribution of
millets.
 Government could take steps from its side to promote the farmers producing
millets and consumers to consume more millets.
 There is a lack of awareness among the consumers in the city of Cochin.
There could be deliberate actions taken so that the people in Cochin are
educated about millets and their health benefits.
 Local business could be educated so that it is also sold along with other
grains such as rice and wheat.
 There is ample business opportunity in the city of Cochin as the millet
industry is only at a budding stage in the city.

5.3. Conclusion
There is a trend in the market where millets are gaining more popularity. It provides
various benefits to the consumers. There has been significant studies conducted that
proves the health benefits of millets. Millet production is also beneficial for the
farmers as the crop has many features such as drought resistant, resistance against
diseases and climatic change. All these factors will beneficial to the wellbeing of
the people. The first step towards moving to the trend of consuming millets as a
staple food is awareness generation. Creation of more awareness will induce in
more consumption of millets in the long run. Bangalore and Cochin are different in
several aspects in the light of consumer’s perception of millets. The awareness level
in Cochin is considerably low compared to Bangalore. More awareness creation in
Cochin would harness a healthy environment in the society.

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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8. Annexure
A Study On Consumers Perception of Millet as a

Staple Food
*Required
1. Name of the Respondent
2. Gender *
Mark only one oval.
Female
Male
3. Age of the Respondent *

Mark only one oval.
Below 18
18-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
Above 55
4. Marital Status *
Mark only one oval.
Married
Unmarred
5. Educational Qualification *
Passed or Pursuing
Mark only one oval.
10th Standard
PUC (12th Standard)
Graduate
Post-Graduate
Doctorate
Professional Qualification
6. Monthly Income *
Mark only one oval.
Less than 20,000

20000-40000
Above 40000
Not Earning
7. Occupational Status (Present or Last Job Held) * Mark

only one oval.
Executive / Senior Manager

Middle Level Manager / Supervisor
Clerical / Other Employee Categories
Professional
Self-employeed
Agriculture or Animal Husbandry
Home-Maker
Student
Unemployeed
8. Where do you reside? *

Mark only one oval.
Bangalore
Cochin
Other:
9. Have you heard about millet? (Example - Foxtail Millet, Kodo Millet, Ragi, Jowar, etc.)
*
Mark only one oval.
Yes
No
10. Which among the following millets have you heard about? * Tick all
that apply.
Sorghum (Hindi: Jowar ; Kannada: Jola; Malayalam: Cholum)
Foxtail Millet (Kannada: Navane ; Malayalam: Thina)
Finger Millet (Kannada: Ragi ; Malayalam: Koovarugu)
Pearl Millet (Hindi: Bajra ; Kannada: Sajje ; Malayalam: Kambam)
Barnyard Millet (Malayalam: Kavadapullu)
Kodo Millet (Malayalam: Koovarugu)
Little Millet (Kannada: Saame ; Malayalam: Chama)
Proso Millet (Kannada: Baragu)
None of these
11. How did you come to know about millet, if you have? Mark
only one oval.
Word of mouth (Family and Friends)

Dieticians and Doctors
Magazines, News papers, Blogs and Other Social Media
Advertisements
TV Programmes
Exhibitions
Other:
12. 9) Are you aware of the health benefits of consuming millet? (Rank the scale between 1 and 5) *
Mark only one oval.
1 2 3 4 5
Not Aware Fully Aware
13. How did you come to know about the health benefits of millet, if you have? Mark only
one oval.
Word of mouth (Family and Friends)

Dietician and Doctors
Websites, Magazines, News papers, Blogs and Other Social Media
Advertisements
TV Programmes
Exhibitions
Other:
14. How often do you consume millet? * Mark

only one oval.
At-least once in a day

At-least once in a week
At-least once in a month
I have had millets but not once in a month
Never

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A Study on Consumers Perception of Millets as a Staple Food

(A dissertation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for

Master of Commerce (International Business),

Bangalore University, Batch: 2017- 2019)

Jerin Geo Jos

Under the guidance of:

Prof. Veenu Joy

St. Joseph’s College of Commerce (Autonomous)

Date: 30 January, 2019

Dr. Shubhra Rahul, Dr. Daniel Fernandes, SJ.

Date: 30 January, 2019

This is to certify that this dissertation entitled “A Study on Consumers

Prof. Veenu Joy

It is my utmost privileged to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who gave me their

PLACE: Bengaluru Jerin Geo Jos

DATE: 30/01/2018 (17SJCCMIB015)

CHAPTER CHAPTER NAME PAGE

1.1 HISTORY OF MILLET IN INDIA 3

1.2 REASONS FOR CHANGE 3

1.3 RESULTS OF THE CHANGE 3

1.4 INTRODUCTION TO MILLET 4

1.7 TYPES OF MILLETS 8

1.8 POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILLETS 11

1.9 POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO FARMERS 12

3.2 NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY 19

3.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 20

3.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 21

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 1

Keywords : Millets, Consumers Perception, Bangalore, Cochin

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 2

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 3

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 4

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 5

Source: (Dayakar Rao, Malleshi, Annor, & Patil, 2017)

1.5. Global Distribution and Production of Millets

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 6

1.6. Distribution of millets in India

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 7

1.7. Types of Millets

1.7.2. Finger Millet

1.7.3. Pearl Millet

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 8

is grown in non-traditional areas and in extreme temperatures of certain countries.

1.7.4. Proso Millet

1.7.5. Kodo Millet

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 9

1.7.6. Foxtail Millet

1.7.7. Barnyard Millet

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 10

1.8. Potential Health Benefits of Millets

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 11

1.9. Potential Benefits to farmers

 Requires considerably less water

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 12

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 13

the study is to identify the development of agriculture in India basis the

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 14

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 15

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 16

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 17

ST. JOSEPHS COLLEGE OF COMMERCE 18

3.1. Statement of the Problem

3.2. Need and Importance of the Study