Pearl millet price will be static, estimates TNAU

COIMBATORE, 07 November 2016 : Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has said in a statement that prices of pearl millet also known as Bajra in India will be static.

Price Forecasting Scheme of Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS), TNAU has analyzed the last 15 years prices of pearl millet that prevailed in the Viluppuram regulated market.

The result revealed that the farm gate price of pearl millet would be around $0.25 to $0.26 (Rs 17-18) per kilogram during harvest, TNAU statement adds.

The university also added that whole grain, greenish and clean pearl millet will fetch better price. Based on the above price, farmers are advised to take up sowing of pearl millet.

According to Fourth Advance Estimates of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, pearl millet is cultivated in 7.31 million hectares with a production of 8.06 million tonnes in India during 2015-16, which is 12 per cent lesser than the previous year.

The major states producing Pearl millet are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana representing more than 83 per cent of total country’s production.

Pearl millet cultivation in Tamil Nadu

Pearl Millet is cultivated in 58,000 hectares with a production was 177,000 tonnes during 2014-15 inn Tamil Nadu.

Villupuram district has the highest production followed by Thoothukudi, Thiruvannamalai, Virudhunagar, Cuddalore and Vellore districts.

Recently, pearl millet is also used in alcohol industry for manufacture of potable alcohol. ICMV 221 and Co (Cu) 9 are the two major varieties grown in Viluppuram district.

The crop is cultivated twice a year, during May- June and October November based on the rainfall occurrence.

Fresh pearl millet arrivals will start at the end of January and the stored crop will serve round the year.

Arrivals of pearl millet from Vilupuram have decreased due to scanty rainfall. Imbalance on the demand and supply of pearl millet in the state is overcome through arrivals from Andhra Pradesh.

Primary food for breakfast & animal feed

Pearl Millet is primarily used for food comprising 73.4 per cent of total utilization and also used as breakfast cereals, puffed grains and porridge, used in poultry and animal feed and also as fodder.

It is one of major food, feed and fodder crop. It is drought resistant crop among cereals. It is used as important component in preparation of nutrient health mix.