Indore Farmers Turn to Pulses and Maize

02-Dec-2025 05:41 PM

Indore. In Indore Division, Madhya Pradesh's most prominent commercial hub, farmers are showing increased interest in cultivating pulses—gram, peas, red lentils, and maize—during the current Rabi season, as early rainfall and favorable weather conditions are facilitating the sowing of these crops.

According to the Agriculture Department, the Rabi season pulse crop production area in Indore Division is expected to increase from 3.83 lakh hectares last year to approximately 4.11 lakh hectares this year. Maize sowing area is also expected to improve.

Rainfall occurred in many areas of the division last month, and now the weather conditions are favorable. Maize production area is expected to increase by more than 50 percent compared to last year, reaching approximately 2 lakh hectares.

Farmers expect to receive remunerative prices for this important coarse grain in the coming months. The government has also increased its support price.

In Madhya Pradesh, farmers were expected to prioritize wheat, gram, lentils, and peas this year. However, it appears that in other divisions, farmers may focus on mustard cultivation instead of gram, as its market price is quite high due to government support.

Lentil and pea cultivation is primarily practiced in the Bundelkhand division, bordering Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Last year, the total area under Rabi crops in the Indore division was 1.68 million hectares, while this year the sown area is expected to increase to over 1.7 million hectares. The picture of the sown area may become clear by the end of this month.