Project report for Bajra cultivation

Bajra is popularly known as “pearl millet” and belongs to the family of Graminea. This grain is basically originated from India or Africa. Bajra is a coarse grain crops and considered to be the poor man’s staple nourishment and suitable to cultivate in dry lands. Bajra can also use as valuable animal fodder. It is one of the major crops of China, India, South Eastern Asia, Sudan, Pakistan, Arabia, Russia & Nigeria. Bajra or pearl millet is widely grown millet in the world. It can tolerate drought, that’s why it is well adopted in region of scanty rainfall. India is largest producer of Bajra. Along with human consumption, it is used for fodder purpose, its stalk are used to feed animals. Major Pearl millet growing areas in India are Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, UP, Haryana, MP, Karnataka, AP and Tamil Nadu. In North India, bajra is grown as kharif crop and in some southern parts is grown as summer crop providing irrigation. Soil requirement: Bajra can be grown in wider range of soil. It is a number of small-grained cereal grasses and based on the grain size, millets classified as major millets and small grain millets. Major millets include sorghum and pearl millet whereas small grain millet includes finger millet, foxtail millet, kodo millet, proso millet, barnyard millet and little millet. Millets are rich in minerals and vitamins compared to rice and wheat; millets have the huge potential to provide security of food, nutrition, fodder, fibre, health, livelihood and ecology.

In India, during 2020-21 about 65.15 lakh ha (160.99 lakh acres) area was covered under bajra. The states of Rajasthan 38.42 lakh ha (94.94 lakh acres), Uttar Pradesh 9.20 lakh ha (22.73 lakh acres), Maharashtra 6.14 lakh ha (15.17 lakh acres), Haryana 4.32 lakh ha (10.67 lakh acres), Madhya Pradesh 3.05 lakh ha (7.54 lakh acres), Karnataka 1.45 lakh ha (3.58 lakh acres) and Gujarat 1.81 lakh ha (4.47 lakh acres) are the major growers of bajra in India. According to the 3rd advance estimates for 2019-20 bajra production estimate was 10.31 million tonnes as against 8.66 million tonnes in 2018-19. The area covered under bajra in Telangana during 2020-21 was 586 ha (1450 acres). The major districts growing this crop include Gadwal 261 ha (646 acres), Nagarkurnool 64 ha (160 acres), Sangareddy 63 ha (156 acres), Rangareddy 53 ha (132 acres), Nalgonda 30 ha (74 acres) and Aliabad 24 ha (61 acres). Bajra is not just a resilient and dependable source of energy, but also a good source for other dietary needs, especially micronutrients. It is the world's hardiest warm-season cereal crop. It can survive and produce grain even on the least fertile soils in the driest regions, on highly acidic and saline soils, and in the hottest climates. It is also mainly consumed as cattle/poultry feed in India apart from its consumption in food purposes.