Profile of finger millet growers and their perceived prospects: Production, processing, and marketing of finger millet and value-added products

Kolhapur district, a prominent region in Maharashtra, is known for its substantial contribution to finger millet production, accounting for 34.08 percent of the state's total production. The district's favourable climate and traditional farming practices have made finger millet a staple crop, particularly in undulating and sloped terrains where other cereals struggle to thrive. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is a resilient, nutrient-dense crop that plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. This study assessed 150 randomly selected farmers to understand their prospects of finger millet's production, processing, and marketing potential. The aim of this study was to explore the prospects of finger millet growers in the Shahuwadi, Panhala, and Karveer tahsils in terms of production, processing and marketing as perceived by Finger Millet growers. The research conducted in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra in the year 2023-24. Data collected through interviews and collected data were organized into primary and secondary tables and subjected to statistical analysis. The study revealed specific demographics among the respondents. The majority of respondents were middle-aged, with almost half having attained a secondary or higher secondary level of education. Respondents owned small sized land holdings. A significant majority reported low annual income and cultivated finger millet on a small area of land. Findings showed a substantial majority with a moderate level of social participation and of Sources of information. Medium level of economic motivation and market orientation of finger millet and also moderate level of decision-making ability. The study's conclusion highlighted that exactly half of the respondents, possessed a moderate level of prospects of production, processing and marketing as perceived by finger millet growers respectively.