CULTIVATION OF MAIZE
CULTIVATION OF MAIZE
The data on farmers engaged in cultivation of Maize is not maintained centrally. However, the state-wise number of operational holdings engaged in cultivation of Maize as per latest agriculture census, 2015-16 is at annexure I. Further, the top maize-producing regions in terms of area under maize cultivation and productivity during the last five years is given at annexure II.
(c) to (e): The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) in the 28 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs) with the objective to increase production of Rice, Wheat, Coarse Cereals (Maize & Barley), Nutri-Cereals (Shree Anna) and Commercial Crops (Cotton, Jute & Sugarcane) through area expansion and productivity enhancement.
The Allocation, Release and Expenditure of funds (Central Share) under NFSNM-Coarse Cereals (Maize & Barley) from 2020-21 to 2024-25 are given below:
(Rs In crores)
Year
Allocation
Release
Expenditure
2020-21
72.03
50.48
43.95
2021-22
66.21
23.55
28.90
2022-23
44.57
19.51
18.06
2023-24
68.68
39.32
28.76
2024-25
92.57
73.48
61.70
Under NFSNM-Coarse (Maize & Barley), the assistance is being provided to the farmers, through the States/UTs, for demonstration on crop production & protection technologies, for distribution of certified seeds, for Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management measures, for capacity building of farmers through cropping system-based trainings etc.
The Government provides Minimum Support Prices (MSP) of maizeover the years to encourage farmers for cultivation of maize and ensure remunerative prices. During the year 2025-26, MSP of maize has been increased to Rs. 2400/- quintal, which is 7.8% higher than previous year. State governments assisting maize farmers through central sector scheme, National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) for facilitating maize trading and ensuring better price at Regulated MarketCommittees(RMC).
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing schemes like Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) to promote maize-based value addition, processing clusters and market linkages in the country. Ministry extends financial support to prospective entrepreneurs for setting up of different kinds of food processing industries including maize based processing units, as per respective scheme guidelines.
Further, to improve production & productivity of maize three projects of ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), Ludhiana and one project of International Maize & Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) have been approved under NFSM. Besides, research efforts of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has led to the development and release of high yielding and stress tolerant varieties/hybrids of maize.
Besides, the various centres of the ICAR-All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Maize are also engaged in the R&D of Maize in different states and are contributing significantly in development of location specific high yielding climate resilient varieties/hybrids for improving production of Maize. As far as steps taken to promote Maize cultivation, improve productivity and extension or capacity building programmes are concerned, during 2014-25, a total of 315 maize varieties/hybrids have been released by Central Variety Release Committee for cultivation on farmers field in different agro-ecologies of country.
Annexure I
State-wise number of operational holdings engaged in cultivation of Maize
Sl. No
State Name
2015-16
1
A & N ISLANDS
2
2
ANDHRA PRADESH
3,20,522
3
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
87,814
4
ASSAM
68,474
5
BIHAR
43,17,309
6
CHANDIGARH
70
7
CHATTISGARH
3,32,217
8
D & N HAVELI
5
9
DAMAN & DIU
–
10
DELHI
414
11
GOA
–
12
GUJARAT
3,05,931
13
HARYANA
17,973
14
HIMACHAL PRADESH
6,50,011
15
JAMMU & KASHMIR
5,27,215
16
JHARKHAND
7,67,875
17
KARNATAKA
12,91,432
18
KERALA
3,021
19
LAKSHADWEEP
–
20
MADHYA PRADESH
14,78,284
21
MAHARASHTRA
10,66,819
22
MANIPUR
29,851
23
MEGHALAYA
1,06,445
24
MIZORAM
13,555
25
NAGALAND
1,17,525
26
ODISHA
4,05,415
27
PUDUCHERRY
–
28
PUNJAB
1,20,888
29
RAJASTHAN
15,05,234
30
SIKKIM
53,677
31
TAMIL NADU
6,28,958
32
TELENGANA
8,17,667
33
TRIPURA
11,309
34
UTTAR PRADESH
13,69,224
35
UTTARAKHAND
2,92,318
36
WEST BENGAL
2,22,812
ALL INDIA
1,69,30,266
Source:- As per Agriculture Census,2015-16
Annexure II
Top State under maize cultivation during the last five years
(In terms of Area & Productivity)
2020-21
Sr. No.
State
Area
(In thousand Ha)
State
Productivity/Yield (In Kg/Ha)
1
Karnataka
1,726
Telangana
6,782
2
Madhya Pradesh
1,405
West Bengal
6,752
3
Maharashtra
1,182
Tamil Nadu
6,408
4
Rajasthan
993
Andhra Pradesh
5,917
5
Uttar Pradesh
773
Delhi
5,091
2021-22
1
Karnataka
1,592
Tamil Nadu
7,066
2
Madhya Pradesh
1,400
West Bengal
6,989
3
Maharashtra
1,251
Andhra Pradesh
5,553
4
Rajasthan
952
Telangana
5,403
5
Uttar Pradesh
747
Delhi
5,100
2022-23
1
Karnataka
1,912
Andhra Pradesh
7,138
2
Madhya Pradesh
1,448
Tamil Nadu
7,007
3
Maharashtra
1,345
West Bengal
6,285
4
Rajasthan
957
Bihar
5,854
5
Uttar Pradesh
891
Telangana
5,557
2023-24
1
Karnataka
1,972
West Bengal
6,633
2
Madhya Pradesh
1,543
Tamil Nadu
6,239
3
Maharashtra
1,326
Andhra Pradesh
6,225
4
Uttar Pradesh
1,104
Bihar
5,975
5
Bihar
956
Telangana
5,671
2024-25
1
Madhya Pradesh
2,303
West Bengal
6,999
2
Karnataka
1,914
Andhra Pradesh
6,510
3
Maharashtra
1,625
Bihar
6,101
4
Rajasthan
1,007
Telangana
5,860
5
Bihar
896
Tamil Nadu
5,487
Source : DA&FW
This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.