1.9.1.3. Jowar (Sorghum)

It is main food crop in semi-arid areas of central and southern India. Jowar is grown both as a Kharif and as a rabi crop. As a Kharif crop, it grows in areas having mean monthly average temperature of 26°C to 33°C. It requires rainfall of about 30cm during the growing season. Jowar can be grown in a variety of soils including loamy and sandy soils. The clayey, regur and alluvium are most suitable for Jowar cultivation. Maharashtra alone produces more than half of the total Jowar production of the country. Other leading producer states of Jowar are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The grain also makes for an excellent poultry feed.