Bajra (Pearl Millet)
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop. Priced from mandis across India.
₹15,000–₹22,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹3,000–₹10,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Needs care: Cool in June
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain is enough, even in a dry year.
Needs about 230 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 530 mm it can use in a normal year, and 390 mm in a dry year.
Heavy rain here can waterlog it. Grow it on raised beds or land that drains well.
Temperature
Grows best at 25–35 °C on average, and survives 12–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 27 °C / 20 °C (outside its best range)
- Jul 26 °C / 19 °C (outside its best range)
- Aug 26 °C / 19 °C (outside its best range)
Months in orange are outside its best range.
Soil
Soil for Bajra (Pearl Millet): 7 out of 10 (okay).
Not in the score: organic carbon and pH.
- Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of sulphur.
Likes pH 6.5–8.0. We have no pH figures for this place.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 7.8 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (its government crop records list none for your district).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹2,345 a quintal across India's mandis.
This week: about ₹2,600 a quintal, the middle of 195 mandis across India (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹9,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹2,900 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,340 2021
- ₹2,010 2022
- ₹2,190 2023
- ₹2,300 2024
- ₹2,270 2025
Prices are usually best in November.
Typical costs are about ₹11,000 an acre (seed, fertiliser, labour and hired machines, from the government's cost survey). They are spent whatever the harvest.
How to make it work
-
Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of sulphur Your soil is likely short of sulphur.
Use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.