Likely Decline in Farmers' Interest in Maize Cultivation

06-Jun-2026 11:20 AM

New Delhi. The area sown under maize—a major coarse cereal—is likely to see some decline during the current Kharif season.

According to the Union Ministry of Agriculture, domestic maize production is projected to rise by 27 percent from 434.10 lakh tonnes in the 2024-25 season to a new record high of 550.90 lakh tonnes in the 2025-26 season. The Ministry has set a production target of 525 lakh tonnes for the 2026-27 season.

This clearly indicates that the government itself anticipates a drop in maize production this time. While the exact extent of the reduction in the maize sowing area will become clear later, it is certain that farmers would not want to leave their fields fallow.

Consequently, priority might be given to cultivating other Kharif crops instead of maize in certain regions. Maize growers did not receive adequate returns during the 2025-26 season.

It appears that during the current Kharif season, the acreage for crops other than maize—such as paddy in Punjab, soybean in Rajasthan, red chili and cotton in Telangana, ragi in southern Karnataka, and cotton in Madhya Pradesh—may increase.