Uncertainty Surrounds Potential Increase in Rabi Maize Sowing Area

New Delhi. Similar to the Kharif season, the area under maize cultivation is likely to decline during the Rabi season. This is partly because the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for maize has seen only a marginal increase of Rs 10 per quintal, while the procurement price for ethanol produced from maize has been raised by Rs 3 per litre—a move that has left grain-based ethanol distilleries dissatisfied.

When the government decided to ban the use of sugarcane juice, sugar syrup, and 'B-heavy' molasses for ethanol production for the 2026-27 marketing season, it was widely expected that the use of maize for ethanol production would surge, leading to a significant rise in the prices of this key coarse cereal. However, that prospect has now become uncertain.

Bihar, the largest producer of Rabi maize, has experienced uneven monsoon rainfall this year. Across the country, the sowing of Rabi maize has yet to commence, suggesting that farmers may show less interest in cultivating this crop.