Bajra (Pearl Millet)
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 5.3 lakh acres here. Sold at 12 mandis in your district.
₹21,000–₹31,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹9,000–₹19,000 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 in a normal year. Keep one irrigation ready for a dry year.
Needs about 320 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 310 mm it can use in a normal year, and 220 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 25–35 °C on average, and survives 12–40 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 41 °C / 29 °C
- Jul 35 °C / 27 °C
- Aug 33 °C / 26 °C
Soil
Soil for Bajra (Pearl 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 organic carbon.
Likes pH 6.5–8.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 12 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹2,219 a quintal at mandis in your district.
Minimum support price: ₹2,900 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,320 2021
- ₹1,950 2022
- ₹2,030 2023
- ₹2,290 2024
- ₹2,240 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
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 7.6 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 95% of local fields of this crop get it.
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Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.
Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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.
About 11% of local fields of this crop get it.
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Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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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):
- Urea 95%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 23%
- Single Super Phosphate (SSP) 11%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 2%