Ragi (Finger Millet)
Sow in June, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–August) is over.
Grown on 1.3 lakh acres here. Sold at 3 mandis in your district.
₹12,000–₹18,000
per acre a season, before costs
Likely a loss at typical costs: ₹3,000–₹9,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- 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 270 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 770 mm it can use in a normal year, and 520 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 18–30 °C on average, and survives 8–35 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 27 °C / 20 °C
- Jul 25 °C / 20 °C
- Aug 25 °C / 20 °C
- Sep 26 °C / 20 °C
Soil
Soil for Ragi (Finger Millet): 7 out of 10 (okay).
- The pH here suits it.
- 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 6.0–7.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 4.4 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October–November 2026): about ₹3,433 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹3,408 a quintal, the middle of 34 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹6,000 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹5,205 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹3,000 2021
- ₹2,840 2022
- ₹2,940 2023
- ₹3,440 2024
Prices are usually best in March.
Typical costs are about ₹21,000 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
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 5.9 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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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.
About 84% of local fields of this crop get it.
-
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.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
-
Short of boron Your soil is likely short of boron.
Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 84%
- Urea 69%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 17%
- Ammonium Phosphate Sulphate 4%