Pearl Millet in English, Bajra in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Sajji in Kannada, Kambu in Tamilnadu, Kambam in Malyalam, Sajjalu in Telugu and Bajri in (Rajasthani, Gujarati and Marathi)

Pearl Millet is a coarse grain crop and considered to be poor man's staple food and suitable to cultivate in dry lands. Major Pearl Millet production states in India are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Pearl Millet is also used as valuable animal fodder.

India is a major Pearl Millet producing country with above 40% of the world area and is the largest producer as well as consumer. Pearl millet ranks 4th after Rice, Wheat and Maize in cereals and accounts for 7% of total food grains area & 3% of the total food grains.

Grown mainly on rain-fed marginal lands under low input management, provides nutritionally superior staple food for millions living in the environments characterized by persistent drought, unpredictable weather, limited and erratic rainfall and nutrient poor soils. Pear Millet is a low cost substitute for maize in poultry and dairy feed.

Being any time forage, it can be grazed, or cut and fed at any growth stage as it doesn't have HCN and is rich in protein, Ca, P and minerals and ß-carotene.

Pearl Millet grows well in dry and warm climatic conditions and is a drought tolerant crop which require low annual rainfall. In north India Pearl Millet is grown as Kharif crop and in some southern part and Gujarat as summer crop.

Pearl millet is a hardy dryland cereal grain crop grown in arid to semi-arid conditions and can survive with a minimum rainfall of 400mm. Pearl millet is one of the highly nutritious small grain crops and is a rich source of Iron and Zinc. Crop matures in 70-90 days.