Improved Maize Availability - Good Rabi Sowing

24-Dec-2025 09:26 PM

New Delhi: Thanks to the excellent production during the Kharif season, the supply and availability of maize in the domestic market remain comfortable, and there are no indications of significant price increases.

Ethanol manufacturers have started purchasing maize in good quantities, which could lead to market stability in the coming period. During the last Kharif season, the area under maize cultivation increased to a new record level, and despite some impact from natural calamities like floods and heavy rains, production was excellent. This improved the supply situation.

Now, good sowing of this most important coarse grain is also underway in the Rabi season, with the area under cultivation significantly ahead of last year.

According to official data, the area under maize cultivation in the current Rabi season reached 18.35 lakh hectares by December 19, which is 1.45 lakh hectares more than the 16.9 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year.

The normal average area for maize this year is estimated at 23.61 lakh hectares, compared to which the actual sowing is still about 5.25 lakh hectares behind.

It is noteworthy that the production area for the entire 2024-25 Rabi season reached a high of 27.80 lakh hectares, and the current season's acreage still has a long way to go to reach that high level.

To encourage farmers to increase production, the government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for maize from Rs. 2225 per quintal for the 2024-25 season to Rs. 2400 per quintal for the 2025-26 season, an increase of Rs. 175. However, in some areas, wholesale market prices are currently below the government's support price, although some increase is expected in the coming weeks.

The highest production of Rabi maize is in Bihar, where rainfall was low during the monsoon season. Farmers are showing considerable interest in maize cultivation this year. If the price of maize rises above the Minimum Support Price (MSP), producers could earn substantial profits.