Post-rainy season sorghum consumption in Maharashtra and opportunities for demand enhancementGBasavarajauthorP PRaoauthorV GPokharkarauthorSMoreauthorFor 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 farmers Sorghum2013Conference or Workshop Item