MILLETS COMMIDITY PROFILES

COARSE CEREALS
 Coarse cereals are a broad sub-group of several short duration warm
weather (Kharif) crops such as Jowar (Sorghum), Bajra (Pearl Millet),
Maize, Ragi (Finger Millet) etc.
 They are used in food, fodder, fuel; value added products and also fast
food products.
 In our country, the coarse cereals are mainly grown in poor
agroclimatic regions, particularly rainfed areas of the country.
 These crops are grown in areas with high temperature and are called
dryland crops because can be grown in areas with 50-100 cm rainfall.
 These crops are less sensitive to soil deficiencies and can be grown in
inferior alluvial or loamy soil.
 Table-1: Nomenclature of millets

Sl. No. Common name Botanical name Local name (Hindi)

(A) Millets under cultivation
1 Sorghum Sorghum bicolor (L.) Jowar
2 Pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Bajra
3 Finger millet Eleusine coracana (L.) Ragi/Mandu
4 Barnyard millet Echinochloa frumentacea (L.) Sanwa/Jhangora
5 Proso millet Panicum miliaceum (L.) Cheena
6 Foxtail millet Setaria italica Kakun/Kangni
7 Kodo millet Paspalum scrobiculatum (L.) Kodo
8 Little millet Panicum sumatrense Kutki
(B) Lesser known millets
1 Brown top millet Brachiaria ramosa (L.) -
2 Crap grass Digitaria cruciata -
(C) Extinct millet
1 Jobs tear millet Coix lacryma (L.) -
(D) Pseudo millet
1 Purple amaranththus Amaranthus cruentus Chaulai
2 Buck wheat
Fagopyrum esculentum &
Kuttu
F. tataricum (L.)
 perusal of the above table indicates that these cereals are nutritionally superior to wheat
& rice owing to their higher levels of protein with more balanced amino acid profile,
crude fibre & minerals (Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous).
In our country, coarse cereal crops are grown in areas where fine cereals like wheat
and rice cannot be grown profitably.
Coarse cereals except maize, are adapted to low or no purchased inputs and to harsh
environment of the semi-arid tropics (SAT), and therefore forms the backbone for dry
land agriculture.
Coarse cereals are traditionally grown in resource poor agro-climatic regions of the
country and are photo-insensitive & resilient to climate change.
India holds 4   position in the world in coarse cereals production after USA, China &
th
th

Brazil but the amount produced is only 3.3 % (43.3 million ton) of the global coarse
cereal production (1322 million ton) during 2013.
In India, coarse cereals are grown over an area of 25.17 million ha (20% of total food
grain area) with a production of 43.30 million ton during 2014-15 and contributed about
17% to national food basket.
More than 85% coarse cereals in India are produced in Karnataka (6.83 million ton),
Rajasthan (6.43 million ton), Maharashtra (5.96 million ton), UP (3.80 million ton),
Telengana (2.90 million ton), Tamilnadu (2.82 million ton), MP (2.55 million ton), AP (2.49
million ton), Bihar (2.14 million ton) and Gujarat (2.12 million ton)
The area of coarse cereals except maize has declined after inception of green
revolution and the area of coarse cereals reduced from 44.35 million ha in 1965-66 to
25.17 million ha in 2014-15 i.e. 43%. Despite 43% area reduction of coarse cereals, the
production has increased from 19.5 million ton to 43.3 million ton i.e. 122%.   
Millions of people around the world suffer from ‘hidden hunger’ of micronutrient.
 They do not get enough micronutrients required to lead healthy productive lives from
the foods that they eat. Malnutrition in India, especially among children and women, is
widespread, acute and even alarming.
As per a Global Survey Report (July, 2012) India is ranked at 112 among the 141
nations as regards Child Development Index (CDI) and 42% of children in India are
underweight and 58% of children are stunted by two years of age. More than 70% of
Indian women and kids have serious nutritional deficiencies.
 Most commonly observed deficiencies in unbalanced diet are iron (Fe), zinc (Zn),
calcium (Ca), etc.
in long run, there is a need to accelerate the production of coarse cereals in the
country
Traditionally we consume various varieties of coarse grain. The urban way of life
cuts down the meaning of balanced diet by excluding the coarse grain combination
in our daily meal plan.
Coarse cereals have been dubbed as poor man’s crops for long, have remained
neglected with respect to their appropriate position in the commercialized food
system, and investment in development.
With increasing concerns about adverse changes in environmental quality and its
consequent effects on food and nutritional security and perceived need for
increasing food production per unit resource investment for an ever increasing
population, these coarse cereals have good prospects of penetrating the food
baskets of a wider range of consumers, both rural & urban and poor & rich, in the
country.
 Coarse cereals have larger stake in household food security specifically
nutritional both for human food, feed and fodder for livestock. Further, these crops
have low water requirement being C   plant, wider adaptability to varied
4
4

ecologists/climate; environment friendly with low consumption of pesticides, best

suited for contingency planning with larger stake of small, marginal and farmers.

Therefore, to overcome the targeted hunger and mitigate the effect of climate
change
PRODUCT PROFILE OF OTHER CEREALS
 Coarse cereals are a broad sub-group of several short duration warm weather
(Kharif) crops such as Jowar (Sorghum), Bajra (Pearl Millet), Maize, Ragi (Finger
Millet) etc.
 They are used in food, fodder, fuel; value added products and also fast food
products.
 In our country, the coarse cereals are mainly grown in poor agroclimatic regions,
particularly rainfed areas of the country.
 These crops are grown in areas with high temperature and are called dryland crops
because can be grown in areas with 50-100 cm rainfall.
 These crops are less sensitive to soil deficiencies and can be grown in inferior
alluvial or loamy soil.
 India Facts and Figures : India has increased its share in the
cereal products in the international market.
 The country has exported 1,31,416.51 MT of given cereals to
the world for the worth of Rs. 438.11 crores / 61.12 USD
Millions during the year 2019-20.
Major Export Destinations (2019-20) : Pakistan Ir, U Arab
Emts, Saudi Arab, Nepal, U S A. 
COARSE CEREALS
 Coarse cereals are a broad sub-group of several short duration warm
weather (Kharif) crops such as Jowar (Sorghum), Bajra (Pearl Millet),
Maize, Ragi (Finger Millet) etc.
 They are used in food, fodder, fuel; value added products and also fast
food products.
 In our country, the coarse cereals are mainly grown in poor
agroclimatic regions, particularly rainfed areas of the country.
 These crops are grown in areas with high temperature and are called
dryland crops because can be grown in areas with 50-100 cm rainfall.
 These crops are less sensitive to soil deficiencies and can be grown in
inferior alluvial or loamy soil.