Maize continues to win farmers’ hearts
Maize cultivation in Bangladesh has surged, with acreage reaching a record 6.72 lakh hectares in FY 2024-25, up from 5,000 hectares two decades ago. The crop’s profitability, especially in the feed industry, has led many farmers to switch from wheat. Maize now ranks as the second-largest cereal crop, with increased demand and favorable weather driving high yields.
Maize, a little-known crop three decades ago, continues its triumph over wheat, paddy and other crops due to its higher yield and profitability.
In the current fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 ending in June, maize acreage has reached 6.72 lakh hectares, setting a new record.
The acreage was 6.42 lakh hectares in fiscal 2023-24, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
Two and a half decades ago, maize was grown on only around 5,000 hectares, official data shows.
This shift occurred as many growers switched from wheat to maize during the last winter, the main season for maize cultivation, according to estimates by the DAE.
Farmers say they prefer growing maize over other crops due to its consistent demand in the feed industry, which caters to poultry, fish, and livestock farmers. Besides, maize can be cultivated alongside potatoes and other vegetables.
Bangladesh’s feed industry requires over 60 lakh tonnes of maize annually, with domestically produced grains meeting 85 percent of the demand, according to an estimate by the US Department of Agriculture
Farmers report increasing demand from local feed mills, it added.
“We have never had trouble selling maize. We can sell the grain at a satisfactory price,” said Bidhan Chandra Sen, a farmer from Baura in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat, a northwestern border district.
A USDA report earlier stated that farmers have been profiting from maize as demand for local production has risen in the feed industry since 2021.
Moksed Ali, a maize trader in Lalmonirhat’s Baura area, said feed companies have opened purchasing centres in his area.
“We buy maize from farmers and supply it to feed companies,” he said.
Nazar Mahmud, a farmer from the Char Gaddimari area of the Teesta River in Lalmonirhat’s Hatibandha upazila, said they always have buyers for maize.
“Some maize traders have given me advance payments to buy maize this year,” he said, expecting to sell the grain for over Tk 1,300 per maund.
The 65-year-old farmer expanded his maize cultivation to 15 bighas this year, up from 10 bighas the previous year, aiming for higher profits.
Md Mahfuzul Hoque, principal scientific officer of the plant breeding division at the Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI), said maize is now cultivated across the country, except in hilly regions.
“It is more profitable than wheat. In many cases, traders buy directly from fields. So, many farmers have shifted from wheat. Another benefit is that maize can be grown using intercropping methods,” he said.
The acreage of wheat, once Bangladesh’s second-largest cereal crop, has hit a record low in FY25 as many producers opted to grow potatoes, maize, and other high-value crops, according to DAE data.
Maize is now the second-largest cereal after rice produced in Bangladesh.
Md Obaidur Rahman Mondol, director of the Field Service Wing of the DAE, said maize can tolerate a lot of stress.
“Besides, it not only offers good prices but can also be stored easily,” he said.
Dilbar Hossain, a 60-year-old farmer from Char Shoulmari on the Teesta River bed in Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat, said maize cultivation has helped alleviate poverty in the char area.
“We have become self-reliant by cultivating maize. Maize traders and feed company representatives buy directly from us.”
Lalmonirhat farmer Sen said he has increased his cultivation area this year and expects a favourable yield to bring him a good harvest.
For the current FY, the DAE has set a production target of 69.78 lakh tonnes of maize.
Mondol said the production target will be achieved this year. “As of now, the crop condition has been good. There are no reports of pest attacks,” he said.
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) recorded maize production at 45.6 lakh tonnes in FY23.
In January this year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in a report on Bangladesh, estimated that maize production would reach a record 52 lakh tonnes, largely due to increased sowing driven by strong domestic demand and high prices during the 2024 planting season.
“Favourable weather conditions and widespread use of high-yielding seed varieties have supported above-average yields,” the report stated.
Most maize seeds are imported, as locally developed varieties by the Maize Research Institute have yet to reach farmers on a large scale.
Principal Scientific Officer of the Maize Research Institute Hoque said the institute has developed 20 maize varieties, one of which—BWMRI-2—has received a positive response from farmers.
“The yield of the variety we have developed is comparable to imported maize seeds,” he said. “However, due to a lack of adequate land, we cannot produce enough seeds.”
Hoque said his office has requested land from various state agencies to expand seed production.
“Maize is a staple food in many countries. In our country, its use is currently limited to the feed industry. However, several maize-based industries could be established here.”
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Source : The Daily Star
