Description: Various kinds of millet are raised as grain crops in the drier regions of India. Millet is called bajra in northern India and ragi in southern India. As a food crop, ragi is considered the third in order of importance after rice and wheat. The two main types of ragi are pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoideum) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana).

It provides vitamin B, iron, phosphorus and lecithin and is a rich source of protein than rice, oats and corn. This grain is considered a healthy addition to local diets and is usually purchased in the form of reddish-brown flour.