Production and consumption of minor millets in India- A structural break analysis

Abstract

Millets play an important role in rainfed region of the country which contributes 60 percent of the
total area. Especially minor millets are very rich nutrients and are minerals and resistant to drought
and stress in rainfed farming. Consumption pattern of small millets and finger millet was examined
by using NSSO unit level data. Assam (18.82 kg/hsh/m) and Bihar (18.69 kg/hsh/m) states have
highest consumption of small millets found in all India and rural areas. Madhya Pradesh has highest
area of small millets (32.4%) followed by Chhattisgarh (19.5%), Uttarakhand (8%), Maharashtra
(7.8%), Gujarat (5.3%) and Tamil Nadu (3.9%). Uttrakhand has highest productivity of 1174 Kg/ha
followed by Tamil Nadu (1067 Kg/ha) and Gujarat (1056 Kg/ha). Structural breaks estimated based
on bai-peron method for both finger millet and minor millet. In case of area under minor millets
structural break was observed in the year 1998 and between 2000 and 2002. In comparison to sorghum,
pearl millet and finger millet limited varieties of small millet have been developed.