Signs of decreasing interest of farmers towards the cultivation of jowar and millet
20-Jul-2024 04:56 PM
New Delhi. Although the central government has increased the minimum support price of hybrid jowar by 6 percent to Rs 3371 per quintal, millet by 5 percent to Rs 2625 per quintal, ragi by 11.50 percent to Rs 4290 per quintal and maize by 6.5 percent to Rs 2225 per quintal for the marketing season 2024-25, but it seems that this time farmers are giving special emphasis on the cultivation of maize, pulses and oilseeds crops, due to which the sowing area of sorghum and millet is lagging behind last year.
Generally, jowar and millet crops require very less water for irrigation as compared to paddy and sugarcane, so when the monsoon is weak and the cultivation of other crops is affected, then farmers give special priority to the sowing of coarse grains as an alternative. Last year, due to El Niño weather cycle, a similar situation had arisen due to less monsoon rains, due to which the area under millet had increased rapidly. In comparison, this time the monsoon is better, so farmers are more inclined towards other crops.
According to the latest data of the Union Agriculture Ministry, compared to last year, during the current Kharif season till July 19, the production area of sorghum fell from 10.07 lakh hectares to 9.81 lakh hectares and the sowing area of millet decreased from 58 lakh hectares to 42.10 lakh hectares. Due to normal or surplus monsoon rains in major producing states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, there are signs of decreasing interest of farmers in the cultivation of sorghum and millet. As far as Ragi is concerned, its area has reached 1.70 lakh hectares, which is the same as last year. But the area under maize production has increased from 63 lakh hectares last year to 67.78 lakh hectares this time because its use in ethanol production is increasing rapidly, due to which its price is expected to remain high and strong in the future. As far as small millets are concerned, the government is trying to promote its cultivation, due to which its area has improved from 2.17 lakh hectares to 2.34 lakh hectares.