New Delhi, Aug 24 (Commodities Control) A substantial rise in corn (maize) cultivation has been reported in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, bringing the total area of maize cultivation in the country to an impressive 81.24 lakh hectares (lh) as of August 18. This signifies an increase compared to the 79.41 lh recorded during the same period last year. The delayed onset of the monsoon and its slow progress prompted many farmers to favor maize cultivation over other crops like pulses and cotton.
The data reveals that Madhya Pradesh experienced a rise in maize cultivation, registering 17.41 lh compared to 15.99 lh last year, surpassing the five-year average of 13.48 lh. Karnataka and Maharashtra also followed suit with 14.53 lh (up from 13.79 lh) and 8.77 lh (a slight increase from 8.74 lh) respectively.
There were marginal increases in Uttar Pradesh (7.54 lh from 7.49 lh), Jharkhand (2.19 lh from 1.99 lh), and Telangana (2.05 lh from 2.01 lh). Conversely, Rajasthan and Gujarat observed a slight drop in acreage with 9.42 lh (from 9.44 lh) and 2.82 lh (from 2.87 lh) respectively.
The kharif acreages for maize are notably higher than those recorded last year. The delayed monsoon has led farmers to opt for short-duration maize varieties. Initial reports suggest that the crop's condition remains promising, mirroring the conditions observed last year, and a bountiful harvest is anticipated.
However, despite nearing last year's cultivation area of 81.5 lh, there are concerns surrounding the yield for this kharif season. The challenges include deficit rains and unusually high temperature levels observed in August.
In the backdrop of these developments, it's noteworthy to mention that, as per the third advance estimate, India reached a record maize production of 35.91 million tonnes (mt) in the 2022-23 period.
(Commodities Control Bureau; +91-9820130172)
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