Gosar Group Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra

Ranked next to maize in terms of consumption, wheat has been playing an important role in leveraging the agrarian scenario of India. The annual production of wheat in India stands at 65-75 million tonnes, thereby making India its second largest producer in the world after China. People in India consume 70-72 million tonnes of wheat on an average. In India, it is commonly known as 'atta' and is eaten mostly in the form of rotis, chapatis, etc. There are about 200 flour mills operating in India having a capacity to produce about 15 million tons of wheat. Wheat is one of the oldest forms of crop to be cultivated, and is believed to have been grown in around 10,000 BC. It was first cultivated in Southwest Asia, in an area known as the Fertile Crescent. Even in the Mediterranean region, around the same time, wheat was considered to be a very important crop for cultivation. Wheat played a major role in the Roman empire, so much so that it was often referred to as the 'Wheat Empire'.

Rice is a staple food crop in many parts of the world, including India. In fact, about 65% of the people consume rice as part of their diet in India. India is the second largest producer of rice after China, accounting for about 90 million tons of production in the world. Rice is cultivated during both winter and summer, with over4000 varieties of rice being grown every year. In countries where agriculture is the main occupation, the cultivation of rice is seen as the principal activity and a major source of income. The rice plant grows at a rate of 2-6 feet, and has long, pointed and flat leaves. It has stalk bearing flowers from which the the rice grains are produced. The rice plant needs both warmth and moisture for its proper growth. Rice is typically grown as an annual plant, although in some tropical regions, it is also grown as a perennial plant. It is considered to be one of the few crops that is non-glutenous and non-allergic.

One of the oldest forms of crops in the world, millets are the first cereal grains to be domesticated for human consumption. Millets can be described as a group of small seeded species of grains or cereals that are mainly grown for human food and animal feed. Millets are grown under difficult production environment and come under the category of agronomic group. During the prehistoric times, millets formed a very important part of people's diet, much before rice came into existence. Millets belong to various genera in the subfamily "Panicoideae" , that are a part of the grass family 'Poaceae'. Millets are a rich source of B vitamins like niacin, B17, B6, etc. as well as folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. They do not contain gluten, and are thus easily digestible. They are the only group that retain their alkaline nature and, thus, are ideal for people who are allergic to both wheat and gluten.

Maize is an annual cereal crop, belonging to the grass family of 'Gramineae'. It composes of kernels having long ears. These kernels are used in the form of grains as food for both humans and animals and also as a source of oil. Maize is also known by the name of 'corn' in many countries. Maize or corn is a rich source of carbohydrates, Vitamin B, proteins and minerals. Most of commercial maize grows at a maximum height of 2.5 ft. In India, maize is also known as 'bhutta' in Hindi. Maize first came into being in Mexico, where it was domesticated around 9000 years back. It was cultivated from a wild grass known as 'teosinte', that had kernels which were not long and were also not placed together. From there, it soon propagated to the New Wold in 1500 BC and by the 16th century, maize was being cultivated throughout the globe. Maize soon became the staple diet of North and South America when Columbus set his foot in these two continents. In fact, corn was not just a staple food for many, but was also an important means of trade and was used as a form of currency. HEALTH BENEFITS OF MAIZE 0Maize is used in many different areas because of its nutritional as well as commercial value. Some of the areas where it is used are: Maize is a rich source of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, Vitamin C, dietary fibers, etc. The presence of thiamin in maize helps in keeping the memory power intact, thereby preventing the dreaded "Alzheimer's" disease. Folate, a good source of Vitamin B helps in preventing birth defects and also helps in lowering the level of Homocysteine that has the potential of damaging the blood vessels. Consumption of corn also prevents the occurrence of lung cancer as it is rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in corn in large proportion.

Jowar / Sorghum, more specifically known as grain sorghum, is a part of the grass family "Poaceae" that grows at the rate of 0.5-5 meters. It is an annual crop whose root system consists of fibrous roots that grow from the lowest nodes of the plant stem at places below and just above the ground level. Grain sorghum is one of the most common forms of crop grown mainly in Africa, Asia and US. Sorghum is mainly grown for grains and also as an animal feed in the form of fodder. In India, it is known as 'jowar', while in Africa, it is known as 'kafir'. It is resistant to drought and can thus grow very well in dry and barren areas. The term 'sorghum' comes from the Italian term 'sorgo', which in turn came from the Latin 'Syricum (granum)' which literally means 'grain of Syria'.  

Chickpeas are edible legumes belonging to the family of "Fabaceae" with slightly round & irregular shape, and are slightly longer in size than the normal peas. They are also known by the names of 'garbanzo beans', and have a nut like taste with a high protein content in them. The plants of the chickpeas grow between 20-25 cm and have feathery leaves on both sides of the stem. The scientific name of chickpeas is 'Cicer arietinum', and they are also known as 'chana' in Hindi and several other names like 'Bengal Gram', 'Kadaale Kaalu', 'Sanaga Pappu', 'Shimbra', etc. Chickpeas can grow well only in sub tropical and tropical climates requiring an annual rainfall of more than 400 mm. Chickpeas have a history that goes back to as far as 10,000 BC and even more. These are one of the ancient crops that were used by the hunters for sustaining their lives. The area that first began to grow chickpeas was the Middle East but later they were being grown in ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece during 7500 BC, where these were consumed in various forms like raw, broth, snacks, etc. They were later brought during the 16th century by the Spanish explorers, and since then chickpeas have been used in many forms. In fact, during the First World War, Germany started cultivating chickpeas as a coffee substitute.