As expected, there is a huge increase in the area of ​​maize but the area of ​​millet is lagging behind

21-Aug-2024 01:42 PM

New Delhi. Due to the tremendous demand for maize for poultry feed, animal feed and starch production as well as for ethanol production and the continuing trend of upward and strengthening in prices, a good increase in its sowing area was expected and accordingly,

in the current Kharif season, the production area of ​​this important coarse grain increased to 87.25 lakh hectares,

which was 6 lakh hectares more than last year's sowing area of ​​81.25 lakh hectares. Earlier in the year 2022, its area was 80.20 lakh hectares and in 2021 it was 79 lakh hectares.

The available data shows that this time the sowing area of ​​maize has increased in almost all the major producing provinces of the country.

This time the sowing area of ​​maize has increased in almost all the major producing provinces of the country.

The Central Government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of maize by 6.5 percent to Rs 2225 per quintal for the 2024-25 season.

This has also encouraged the farmers. It is also important that the government is planning to buy a large quantity of maize from farmers at the support price for supply to ethanol manufacturers through its agency.

This will not force the producers to sell their maize in the open market at throwaway prices. On the other hand,

the sowing of millet has come down from 69.70 lakh hectares last year to 66.90 lakh hectares this time.

In some states, farmers have given priority to the cultivation of maize instead of millet. In the current Kharif season,

the production area of ​​​​sorghum has increased from 13.75 lakh hectares to 14.60 lakh hectares and the area of ​​​​ragi has improved from 7.05 lakh hectares to 7.55 lakh hectares.