RA 00110.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Table 4. Major constraints to production and general pearl millet production trends (1960-85) in some African countries
and the USA.
Country
Africa
Botswana
Cote d'lvoire
Gambia
Ghana
Kenya
Malawi
Niger
Senegal
Sudan
Zambia
Zimbabwe
USA
Major constraints to production
Quelea birds, drought.
Absence of improved varieties and
fertilizer, and crop losses due to
diseases and insects.
Weeds, untimely availability of inputs,
pests and diseases, low rainfall and fertility.
Poor soil fertility, erratric
rainfall, and downy mildew.
Severe drought, armyworms, birds, poor
seed set in local cultivars, poor husbandry,
and lack of improved seed production
and distribution.
Lack of improved varieties, competition for
land with sorghum, lack of recommendations
on major cultural practices.
Drought in the beginning and end of crop
cycle, sandstorm in the beginning of the
cropping season, highly eroded soils depleted
of organic matter, damage by birds and
pests (Raghuva).
Low yield, low grain/straw ratio, drought,
diseases, insects, Striga.
Low and erratic rainfall, low soil fertility,
unimproved cultural practices, unimproved
cultivars, insects and pests, socioeconomic
constraints.
Lack of improved varieties
and agronomic practices.
Lack of fertilizers, no improved varieties for
general release, no hybrids grown yet, not
much use for pearl millet, although price is
high.
Temperature in the Texas panhandle.
General production trends (1960-85)
Production generally decreased, may be
due to drought.
From 1960 to 1979 millet production remained static
(45 000 t). In 1980-83 it fell to 30000 t, but since
1984 there has been an increase in production due to
government policies that have favored millet production.
Increasing trend, but fluctuated during some drought
years.
Production is generally decreasing
because of constraints and competition
with other cereal crops such as rice and maize.
Production about 30000 ha annually, but yields low
without improved seed and crop management.
Kenya has no dryland seed multiplication agent.
Millet production increased following drought
because large areas are sown during years
following maize failure.
Millet production varies considerably from year
to year due to the unpredictability of the rainy
season and fluctuations in the quantity and
distribution of rainfall. Production dropped from
1 325000 t in 1983 to 769000 t in 1984 but rose in
1985 to 1 450 000 t.
475 000 to 750 000 t with an average of 665 160 t or
79.7% of the mean target. In the Seventh Plan, the production
target is fixed at 650 000 t. The annual increase
in production is 0.62%, lower than that of the
population growth (2.8%).
Area is increasing, but yield per hectare is decreasing,
mainly due to drought, and low soil fertility
due to continuous cultivation and low or no
fertilizer use.
-
General production decrease up to 1981 as maize
production increased, but millet increased from
1980-85 because of drought.
Increase due to demand and new companies
producing millet.
335