Jowar sowing drops in Maha by 2 lakh hectares this season

Kolhapur: For Maharashtra, jowar or jwari (as known in rural parts) is more than a cereal grain. For centuries, it has been a cultural mainstay and a symbol of resilience, often referred to as the "lifeblood of the Deccan". Yet, Maharashtra's rabi sowing data tells a worrying story. According to statistics from the state agriculture department, the area under jowar cultivation dropped by nearly 2 lakh hectares — from an average of 14.95 lakh hectares to 12.66 lakh hectares this season alone. Solapur, Ahilyanagar and Dharashiv, which together account for almost one-third of the state's jowar output, have been among the worst affected.All the three districts were ravaged by extreme monsoon conditions, witnessing floods and rainfall levels more than 200% above normal. The excess rain left farmlands waterlogged for weeks even after the monsoon withdrew, forcing many farmers to abandon jowar cultivation as the rabi sowing window had already closed.Solapur alone recorded a drop of 1.67 lakh hectares under jowar. Ahilyanagar saw sowing drop by 1.46 lakh hectares, while Dharashiv registered a reduction of 1.3 lakh hectares. Bharat Sadu Dattu, a jowar farmer from Mangalwedha tehsil in Solapur district, said he was compelled to switch crops. "I abandoned jowar and chose to grow kardai (safflower) on two acres where the fields were severely affected by heavy rainfall. On the remaining three acres, although I sowed jowar, I fear productivity will dip sharply," he said."Earlier, I harvested nearly 60 quintals of jowar from five acres. This year, I expect only 15 to 20 quintals," Dattu said.Mangalwedha is renowned for Maldandi jwari, a GI-tagged variety prized for the distinct flavour it lends to bhakri—especially when paired with pitla or thecha. Maldandi takes around four-and-a-half months to mature and attain its full nutritional value. However, with one to two crucial months lost due to unworkable fields, many farmers opted instead for wheat, maize or gram.Unlike most Rabi crops, jowar is rain-fed and requires minimal irrigation, making it well suited to Maharashtra's rain-shadow regions. This characteristic has long been considered a hidden advantage in an otherwise harsh agricultural landscape.Statewide data shows that as jowar acreage shrank, farmers turned to other crops. Wheat sowing rose by 43,000 hectares, maize by 1.65 lakh hectares, and gram by 1.24 lakh hectares. In the key jowar-producing districts alone, nearly 80,000 hectares were diverted to alternative crops.The production shortfall has already begun to push prices up. Sadanand Korgaonkar, a grain merchant based in Kolhapur, said wholesale prices of jowar have risen sharply over the past two months. "Prices have increased by nearly Rs 7 per kg and are now ranging between Rs 55 and Rs 60 per kg in wholesale markets. Retail prices are close to Rs 70 per kg," he said."Most of our jowar comes from the Barshi market in Solapur. With lower production this season, prices are only expected to climb further," Korgaonkar added.The soft, white bulbous grains are valued for their high gluten content that gives bhakri its signature softness. Nearly half of Maharashtra's households consume bhakri at least once a day. Alongside this, growing awareness of the nutritional value of millets has pushed up demand for bhakri, much like bajri in Gujarat and ragi in Karnataka.