Maize and Millet Sowing Area Sees Strong Growth

15-Jul-2025 08:05 PM

New Delhi. Compared to last year, there has been a significant increase in the production area of maize and millet during the current Kharif season. Sorghum sowing is also progressing well, while the area under ragi remains nearly the same as last year, and a slight decline is seen in the sowing of small millets.

The rise in maize sowing was anticipated due to growing domestic demand and high market prices, which are offering farmers better income. However, the remarkable jump in millet sowing, especially in Rajasthan, has come as a positive surprise.

According to data from the Union Agriculture Ministry, the total production area of coarse grains has increased from 99.78 lakh hectares last year to 116.30 lakh hectares.

This includes an increase in sorghum sowing from 7.40 lakh hectares to 8.00 lakh hectares, maize from 59.73 lakh hectares to 61.88 lakh hectares, and millet from 29.60 lakh hectares to 44 lakh hectares. The sowing area of ragi has remained stable at around 210-211 thousand hectares, while small millets declined from 1.87 lakh hectares to 1.45 lakh hectares.

For the 2025-26 season, the normal average sowing areas are: sorghum 15.07 lakh hectares, millet 70.69 lakh hectares, maize 78.95 lakh hectares, ragi 11.5 lakh hectares, and small millets 4.48 lakh hectares.

With more time left in the sowing season, and favorable monsoon and weather conditions prevailing, further improvement is likely. In some regions, heavy rains have led to waterlogging, which may temporarily disrupt sowing activities.

The government has increased the minimum support price (MSP) of maize by ₹175—from ₹2225 per quintal for the 2024-25 season to ₹2400 per quintal for the 2025-26 season—boosting farmer interest. It is expected that this season, the maize production area may surpass the five-year average.