For majority of the households living across Semi-Arid Tropics (SAT) (~f'Il1dia sorghum is an important
staple in the consumption basket oJllOllseholds besides providingjeed and income security. By and large
sorghum and particlllar~y post rain)' season sorghum is grown as subsistence crop under Itrw yield regimes.
Hence, to address the issue of low yield\' a project on Harnessing Opportunitiesjbr Productivity
Enhancement (HOPE) is envisioned to improve productivity o/post rain,V season sorghum and associatedfactors
o/teclmology adoption and improve market access by International Crops Research Instilute
Semi-Arid Tropics (IeR/SAT) and its partners. Improving market access requires carejid understanding
of consumer choices, end-user preferences, processing options to improve product qllali~v and reduce
householdfood processing time. In this context a detailed survey 011 sorghum consumption, its demand
for variolls uses, consumer preferences, perception am:! price and non-price factors that determine the
demandfor sorghum in human diets is carried out in Afaharashtra, (TH2stern and lvfarathwada regions)
ojIl1dia, lvhich is predomillant~rsorghum growing and consuming region. Evidencefrom the stll{~V indicates
that post rainy seaSon sorghum is a staplefhr consumption irrespective of household income but
urban consumers are less frequent COllsumers as compared to their rllral counte/parts, Though urban
hOllseholdr; perceive the importance (~lC0l1S11mptiol1 (~ll1l1triellt rich millets like sorghum, lack of time Jar
cooking sorghum bread as both men and women are employed ill urbanlocatiolls; skill sels requiredfhr
preparation; easy availability (~ldiversified ready to eat productsfram rice and lvheat; l1f>n-availability
oJ diversified react" 10 eat products of sorghum have contributed to decline in its consumption, flidue
addition (grading and cleaning) and development of divers~fied reiUtv to use value added products of
sorghum (flow; rawa, flakes etc) are jbzmd to stimulate consumption demand. Sale of cleaned sorghum
grain in small packs 1:\' desired by many urban consumers, Unlike barle;~finger millet and maize, private
sector participation for development (~f value added products in sorghum is [OlV. Hence, development qf
diversified read,.v to use products 'with private sector participation will enable in enhancing the demand
for sorghum, product choice and l1utriceutical benefits for consumers and improve market access to
farmer
