Corn (maize) seems to be the new-found love of the Indian farmers this kharif season. With the government’s push for higher ethanol blending and expansion of feedstock, farmers have planted a record area under corn in the ongoing kharif cropping season.

Maize acreages are up by 5.31 per cent at 87.26 lakh hectares (lh) till September 6 compared with 82.86 lh a year ago, with the major growth coming from States such as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In Maharashtra, the area under corn has increased by 23 per cent, while in Madhya Pradesh, the area has gone up by 16 per cent. Other major producing States such as Karnataka, Rajasthan and UP among others have witnessed a marginal increase. This is even as several States such as Telangana and Odisha witnessed a marginal decline.

“Kharif maize area is at a record this year. The condition of the crop, which is in the maturing stages, looks good, so far. We are expecting the yields to be better this year on good rains,” said Hanuman Sahay Jat, Director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research in Ludhiana.

FAW menace

With prices ruling above the minimum support price (MSP) for a major part of the last year, farmers have taken to planting maize, expanding the acreage, Jat said. IIMR, he said, was creating awareness among the farmers on growing more corn in the context of higher ethanol blending targets set by the Government.

Though farmers faced the problem of fall army worm (FAW) in the early stages of the maize cropping cycle this year, they have largely overcome the challenge by managing the pest, Jat said.

The Centre has announced a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,225 per quintal against ₹2,090 per quintal last year. The market prices of maize are hovering above the MSP levels and in the range of ₹2,400-2,500 levels across various markets on strong demand.

Meeting E20 target earlier

“Spurred by the demand from the ethanol industry, maize has become a new favourite of farmers across India resulting in a significant surge in the area across maize-growing areas in kharif 2024. The E20 blending targets will continue to generate demand for maize as a prime feedstock to maize-based distilleries which has sprung up in nook and corner of India showing a path of prosperity for maize farmers who can grow this magical crop in three seasons in all 15 agro-climatic zones,” said Bhagirath Chaudhary, Founder Director of South Asia Biotechnology Centre in Jodhpur.

“India can achieve E20 target much earlier than what is set forth provided that the government’s push for technology such as insect and herbicide-tolerant Bt/HT maize with single cross hybrids to revolutionise maize production from current 35 million tonnes to 100 million tonnes in the next 10 years. Maize is usually marred with the devastating pest of fall army worm and diseases such as leave and sheath blight and aflatoxin. We must learn from ethanol-producing countries such as Brazil and the US and move up the technology adoption curve to realize the dream of maize farmers in India.” Chaudhary said.

“Crop seems to be good as of now but rains in MP may be problematic. In Karnataka and Maharashtra, the crop is normal,” said Rahul Chauhan of IGrain India. “Due to high prices ahead of the cropping season, the area in Maharashtra and MP has increased,” he said.

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