Why Iran war, monsoon worries could make 2026 India’s Year of Millets

📌 Summary:

• Northwest Indian farmers shifting from cotton to bajra (pearl millet); case in point: Ramesh Chander (Sirsa, Haryana) — bajra acreage rose from 2 (2024) → 9 (2025) → 14 (2026); cotton fell from 23 → 12 → 1 acre

• 3 reasons for cotton exit: (1) pink bollworm (gulabi sundi) — yields collapsed from 10-12 quintals/acre to 3.5 (2024); (2) long growing period; (3) rising input & labour costs

• Pull factors for bajra: hybrid varieties (Proagro 9001, 9190, 9180) — 18-20 quintals/acre, mature in 90-95 days, need only 1-2 irrigations vs 5-7 for cotton

• Macro tailwinds: Iran war pushing edible oil/cotton/grain prices up; monsoon uncertainty favouring drought-tolerant millets

• Planting flexibility: bajra (June 15-20 sowing, Sept harvest) frees up land for 130-140 day rabi mustard by mid-October — enables double-cropping

• Crystal Crop Protection’s Proagro 9001: planted in ~1.6 million acres across UP, MP, Rajasthan, Haryana in 2025 kharif

• Policy backdrop: India’s ‘International Year of Millets’ (2023, declared by UNGA on India’s proposal); ongoing push for Shree Anna (millets) under National Food Security Mission & PM-AASHA

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Cropping pattern; agricultural diversification; food security; nutrition; climate-resilient agriculture; agri-marketing

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Bajra = pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)
• Proagro 9001: 90-95 day maturity, 18-20 quintals/acre yield
• International Year of Millets: 2023 (proposed by India, declared by UNGA)
• Millet states: Rajasthan #1 in bajra; Karnataka #1 in jowar/ragi
• Shree Anna initiative: covers jowar, bajra, ragi, small millets
• Pink bollworm (gulabi sundi): major cotton pest

🔑 Key Term: Millets / Shree Anna — small-grained cereals (jowar, bajra, ragi, kodo, kutki etc.) — climate-resilient, nutritionally rich, low-water; promoted under International Year of Millets 2023