Pearl millet grain is of high nutritional quality, particularly for poultry. It can be grown on poor soils in areas of high ambient temperatures and inconsistent rainfall, which is an advantage over most other cereals. In this regard it is similar to sorghum and could become an alternative to sorghum in the cropping areas of northern Australia. This report is a detailed review of pearl millet biology and production with an emphasis on the factors that are important for the development of an Australian pearl millet grain industry.