FINGER MILLET

Nutritional Profile:

High antioxidant activity; one of the best sources of calcium; sulphur-rich amino acids make it ideal weaning food;

It is an important primary food especially for the rural populations of Southern India and East & Central Africa. Finger millet or ragi can be grown under wide range of adaptation ie from sea level to hilly regions of Himalayas but thrives best under well drained, loamy type of soils. About 60% of finger millet is produced by the state of Karnataka which is about 34% of global production. Finger millet is a dwarf, highly tillering plant with characteristic finger like terminal in florescences. The height of a mature plant ranges from 30-150 cm and the seeds are very small like mustard and are light brown, or dark brown or white in colour.