Top-quality Bajra in Gujarat fetching better price than wheat this year

Banaskantha: Even edible agri commodities have not been spared the unprecedented surge in prices on the lines of several non-edible Agri commodities such as cotton and castor seeds. Known to be the staple cereal of the poor and the under-privileged, the summer harvest of Bajra (pearl millet) at Rajkot and a few other market yards is seeing a hike of 20-25% over the previous year.

Last year in May, pearl millet fetched a price of Rs230-300/20 kgs, compared to Rs280-528 it is being quoted at this year. This price is even better than the price of wheat, which is fetching Rs520/20 kgs, after a 20% rise!

Banaskantha in Gujarat is known to be a hub of pearl millet. According to data at the end of April 2022, of the aggregate 11. 25 lakh hectares in which sowing happened in Gujarat, pearl millet was sowed in 2.81 lakh hectares. Banaskantha on its own accounts for 1.61 lakh hectares of those 2.81 lakh hectares.

North Gujarat sowed pearl millet in 1.88 lakh hectares, central Gujarat sowed in 48,600 hectares, and Saurashtra sowed in 25,300 hectares whereas sowing of pearl millet happened only in 500 hectares in south Gujarat.

Pearl millet can be grown in areas where the soil quality doesn’t support even the growing of wheat. Hot weather is conducive for the cultivation of pearl millet.