Maize is reaching various parts of the country in large quantities from Bihar
15-May-2025 03:25 PM
Katihar. Despite a decline in demand from Bangladesh, Bihar's maize producers and traders remain confident due to strong domestic demand.
Maize continues to find a growing market within the country, with buyers from the poultry feed, animal feed, and starch production industries.
In addition, ethanol manufacturers have now emerged as major buyers, further boosting the demand for this important coarse grain. Several large companies are actively purchasing maize, and as a result, prices are expected to rise in the near future.
Maize from Bihar is being transported to various states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Delhi, and Mumbai.
The dispatch of maize is actively ongoing from multiple rail rack points across the state. Bihar is a leading producer of Rabi-season maize, and production has improved this year. The harvesting and arrival of the new crop in local markets has already begun.
While exports to Bangladesh have slowed significantly, local traders are not concerned. From Katihar station, 30 rakes of maize were exported to Bangladesh in 2022, but this number dropped to 10 rakes in 2023, and no exports have taken place in 2024 or 2025.
However, this has not affected the local trade. In 2023, 24 to 25 rakes of maize were dispatched to other Indian states from the Semapur point of Katihar by May 10, and more than a dozen rakes have already been dispatched in 2025.
Most of these consignments are headed to Uttar Pradesh. Ethanol and starch producers, as well as the poultry sector in South India, are showing strong interest in maize procurement.
Currently, maize prices in major mandis of Bihar are slightly below the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs. 2225 per quintal.
The wholesale price is around Rs. 2160 per quintal in Semapur and Rs. 2180 per quintal in Gulab Bagh, Araria, Jaynagar, Ranipatara, Sarsi, Kataria, Mansi, and Khagaria.
At Kursela, it stands at Rs. 2160 per quintal. In comparison, last year maize prices in these markets had reached up to Rs. 2250 per quintal.