Increase in Maize Area Affects Sowing of Other Crops

04-Feb-2026 08:49 PM

New Delhi: The Economic Survey presented in Parliament expresses concern that the higher selling price of ethanol made from maize compared to rice and molasses is leading to an increase in the area under maize cultivation, but this is affecting the area under crops like pulses, oilseeds, and cotton.

The area under pulses has decreased, while the area under oilseeds has seen only a marginal increase.

This will seriously undermine the government's efforts towards crop diversification and make it difficult to ensure food security. India is already the world's largest importer of pulses and edible oils.

The Economic Survey emphasizes the need to strike a better balance between food and energy security at the national level. It states that the selling price of ethanol made from maize increased by 11.7 percent annually between FY 2021-22 and 2024-25, which was significantly higher than the selling price of ethanol made from rice and sugarcane components.

This led to a rapid increase in the demand and consumption of maize in the ethanol manufacturing industry. Farmers benefited from this, and their enthusiasm and interest in maize cultivation increased.

An increase in maize area and production is a positive development, but it should not come at the cost of the area and production of pulses and oilseeds.

The government itself is making serious efforts to promote their production, but for various reasons, it is not achieving the desired success. The area under cotton is also decreasing.