sorghum popularly known as jowar, is the most important food and fodder crop of dry land agriculture. In India, sorghum grain is eaten by human either by breaking the grain and cooking it in the same way as rice or by grinding it into flour and preparing ‘chapattis’.

 

To some Extent it is also eaten as parched and popped grain. This grain is also fed to cattle, poultry and swine. Sorghum grain contains about 10-12 per cent protein, 3 per cent fat and 70 per cent carbohydrates; therefore, it can satisfactorily replace other grains in the feeding programme for dairy cattle, poultry and swine. Its industrial use has tremendous scope.

 

Area of Cultivation

Cultivation of jowar is mainly concentrated in peninsular and central India. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (the Bundelkhand region) and Tamil Nadu are the major jowar-growing states. Other states grow sorghum in small areas primarily for fodder.