Maize gains ground in M.P., may offset decline in Karnataka, Maharashtra
Madhya Pradesh recorded a 23% increase in kharif maize acreage to 23.37 lakh hectares, helping offset declines in Karnataka and Maharashtra, where weak monsoon affected sowing. However, India’s overall maize acreage remained 5% lower at 67.89 lakh hectares as of 17 July compared with last year.
Madhya Pradesh has reported a 23 per cent jump in maize acreage this kharif season, partly offsetting declines in key producing States such as Karnataka and Maharashtra, where delayed monsoon and rainfall deficit have hurt sowing. Overall maize acreage is down about 5 per cent at 67.89 lakh hectares (lh) as of July 17, compared with 71.5 lh a year ago.
Per Agriculture Ministry data, maize has been sown on 23.37 lh in Madhya Pradesh till July 17, up from 19 lh in the corresponding period last year. In contrast, Karnataka has seen acreage decline by nearly 30 per cent to 9.43 lh due to deficient rainfall, while Maharashtra’s maize area is down 5.1 per cent at 9.59 lh.
Maize acreage has also declined in Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, while Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have registered marginal increases.
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Source : The Hindu Businessline
