Trends in Production and Productivity of Jowar and Bajra in India

Coarse grains like Bajra and Jowar has a greater role to play in improving small and marginal farmers conditions in arid and semi arid regions in adapting to regions having permanent climatic and geographical impediments. Growth patterns and instability in production and productivity of these crops over the time was studied using the compound annual growth rate and coefficient of variation. The analysis shows the changing cropping pattern in the country from coarse grains to high cash crops, which is reflected by decline in area of coarse grains by 15 per cent in 2000’s, however, the productivity is on the rise in both Bajra and Jowar due to release of improved hybrids and varieties by public and private sector research in response to their industrial and nutritional value as Nutri-cereals. But relation of yield with relative instability in most of the states, growing Jowar and Bajra has been increasing over the period, which is a matter of serious concern. Hence, the study points out to the significant policy interventions to maintain the stability of coarse grains along with production in the wake of its increasing nutritional and commercial value in suiting to the fragile environmental conditions.