India’s ancient grain is facing an uphill battle

At Manoj Sharma’s house in Thalog village, lunchtime was filled with praise for the sweet dishes on offer. Among them, amaranth kheer–creamy porridge made to perfectio–stood out. Manoj's wife, Manju, said amaranth kheer is a family favourite, a comforting dish made by lightly roasting the grain in ghee, then adding milk, sugar, and sometimes dry fruits. Properly stored, amaranth can last for years.

Known in cities like Delhi as the key ingredient in Ramdana laddoos–a staple for breaking fasts–amaranth, or rajgira, has long been celebrated as a royal grain fit for the gods.

Sadly, this ancient grain is losing favour.

Decline and challenges

“In the past decade, amaranth cultivation has significantly declined across Himachal Pradesh,” said Ashish Gupta, founder of the Gram Disha Trust, a non-profit supporting smallholder farmers and sustainable farming practices. “However, the International Year of Millets last year has sparked a renewed interest in this crop in certain mid- and high-altitude areas of the state.”

One major culprit behind the decline is the increasing use of chemical weed killers. “As the cropping season of amaranth runs parallel to dominant grains like paddy and maize, farmers sometimes clear fields using weedicides. While amaranth as a crop produces fresh leaves for food (lal saag), it is also considered a weed in modern cultivation and is sensitive to the use of weedicides,” he said.

Sharma, who has grown amaranth and foxtail millet for years, points to another challenge. “Farmers in Himachal are turning to fruits like apples, thus ignoring an ancient grain such as amaranth,” he said. On his farm, amaranth harvest is in full swing, with the grain selling for Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per quintal.

Amaranth is sown during the monsoon season alongside maize. Occasionally, a wild variety grows in forested areas, but farmers in Bag cultivate amaranth in their fields.

Bhupendra Kumar, a resident of Bag village, said people have generally forgotten about old grains, and many no longer cultivate them.

 “Our forefathers primarily used amaranth for household consumption. At that time, there was no viable market for it. Now, the grain is occasionally sold in the local market, even though there is no minimum support price. Farmers sell it at rates they find suitable. Sometimes, if lucky, a quintal can fetch as much as Rs 20,000. It is a fair rate,” said Somkishan Gautam, a farmer from Togra village in Mandi district.

Birds love the taste of the grain and eat a lot of it. Farmers try different methods to protect their crops but often struggle. Gautam said they spray a mixture of wild grass, cow urine, and chilli paste on the plants to scare off the birds. The grass, known as Gandri, grows in riverine areas and is common in Mandi district but not in higher regions. "There might be alternatives," he said, "but they aren’t as effective."

In southern India, amaranth is also on the decline. “Amaranth is grown across India, but some varieties thrive better in hilly regions. While its panicles are usually reddish, there are green varieties as well, which are mostly consumed in Karnataka,” said Nishant Bankapur, a former employee of the non-profit Sahaja Samruddha based in Karnataka. He is now an independent consultant on farming and agricultural systems, working out of Hubli in the Dharwad district.

Bankapur noted that amaranth consumption has decreased in the state, along with public awareness of its cultivation. “The area under cultivation has shrunk, and amaranth has lost its place in backyards,” he said.

However, the grain is still consumed by tribal communities in Karnataka. “In the past, people widely consumed amaranth because they recognised its nutritional value. Unfortunately, there has been little effort from the government to promote it,” Bankapur added.

He said amaranth stems and leaves were once a staple ingredient in sambar, typically served with ragi mudde (ragi balls), a popular dish in southern Karnataka. “The middle part of the stem was sweet and was called dantu, which made it a perfect addition to sambar,” he said. Over the past 20 years, however, dantu has been replaced by palak (spinach). While palak consumption was once limited, it has now become more common, making dantu increasingly rare in markets.

Cultural significance

In many regions, grains hold symbolic significance. For example, paddy is highly esteemed in states like Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, where it is used in auspicious ceremonies. In many regions, cultural associations with millets helped them survive when they were on the decline.

Over time, however, cultural significance can fade as one generation passes its traditions to the next. But Amaranth remains popular during fasting periods. “This highlights its nutritional value. Its vernacular name, Ramdana, or 'the grain of Lord Ram,' also holds cultural importance in parts of India,” said Gupta adding there are documented Sanskrit names for amaranth in historical records.

“Amaranth’s hardiness is remarkable, as it can thrive at high altitudes–up to 2,000 metres above sea level. As such, it is not only a crucial source of nutrition but also a grain of cultural importance across the country.”

In Himachal Pradesh, amaranth holds significant cultural value. Gautam said the grain is linked to the Sankranti festival, while Kumar highlighted its role during Raksha Bandhan, when rakhis tied to wrists are removed and tied to the branches of amaranth plants, a long-standing tradition. Amaranth also plays a key role in Janmashtami celebrations.

Post green revolution, high-yield crops like wheat and paddy pushed traditional grains like amaranth to the sidelines. However, efforts are underway to revive amaranth. Nekram Sharma, who was awarded the Padma Shri in 2023, has been working on this for many years. "Amaranth never gained the popularity of rice and wheat, but I am trying to encourage its consumption by preparing dishes like halwa, dosa, and kheer from the grain. This has helped raise its profile."

‍More than just a grain

While amaranth is often grouped with traditional cereals, it’s scientifically classified as a pseudo-cereal–just like buckwheat and quinoa. Donald Osborn, a senior consultant and independent scholar, said these grains, while offering tremendous nutritional benefits, are part of a category that differs from the classic cereal grains. Osborn is also instrumental in the creation of the North American Millets Alliance, which seeks to broaden global access to resilient and nutritious crops like amaranth, a movement inspired by the International Year of Millets.

The efforts to revive amaranth are more than just about bringing back an old crop—they’re part of a larger mission to shift global consumption patterns toward foods that are both nutritionally rich and ecologically sustainable.

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