Techniques of Prosso millet Cultivation in Konkan

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is locally known as Vari or common millet, is one of the ancient cultivation, probably domesticated in Central and Eastern Asia, where it has been cultivated for more than 5000 years. It was introduced into North America after the arrival of Columbus. Presently, proso millet is cultivated for human consumption mainly in Eastern and Central Asia and to a lesser extent in Eastern Europe (Russia, Danube region) and from Western Asia to Pakistan and India (Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra etc.). In India small millet is cultivated over an area of 0.0719 million ha with total production of 0.435 million tonnes during 2012-13 (Anonymous, 2013). In Maharashtra, the largest area is found in Konkan region comprising Raigad, Thane, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts. The share of Proso millet of the total recorded millet trade has been estimated at about two-thirds.