Conversely, in the more arid and irrigated tracts of southern India, particularly in Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra, jowar is a significant Rabi crop . Here, it is sown after the receding of the monsoon, between September and November, and harvested in January-February. The Rabi jowar is typically shorter, more drought-tolerant at the vegetative stage, and depends on winter showers or limited supplemental irrigation. This season’s grain is often of superior quality, fetching higher market prices for human consumption (e.g., jolada rotti in Karnataka cuisine). The Rabi crop also serves as a critical buffer against the failure of the main Kharif harvest.