Maize acreage rises by 23% in Madhya Pradesh but falls in Maharashtra

23-Jul-2026 03:17 PM

New Delhi: Reports indicate a 23% increase in maize cultivation area in Madhya Pradesh during the current Kharif season compared to last year; this rise is expected to partially offset the decline in acreage observed in states like Maharashtra and Karnataka. Nationally, the total area under maize cultivation reached 6.789 million hectares by July 17 of the current Kharif season, which is approximately 5% lower than the 7.15 million hectares sown during the same period last year.

According to Ministry of Agriculture data, maize acreage in Madhya Pradesh surged from 1.9 million hectares last year to 2.337 million hectares this season. Conversely, acreage dropped by nearly 30% to 0.943 million hectares in Karnataka and fell by 5.1% to 0.959 million hectares in Maharashtra. Additionally, maize sowing coverage has declined in Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, while acreage has seen a slight increase in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Rahul Chauhan, Director and a trusted analyst at 'iGrain India'—a leading commodity market research firm—states that maize sowing has been hampered by deficient rainfall linked to the El Niño phenomenon, causing acreage to lag behind last year's figures. Nevertheless, maize remains a preferred crop for farmers due to attractive prices. Given current sowing trends and the narrowing window for optimal planting, it appears unlikely that maize acreage and production in Karnataka and Maharashtra will reach last year's levels. Acreage in Rajasthan is also expected to fall short.

Another analyst predicts a likely decline in domestic maize production this Kharif season, as El Niño has made sowing impossible in several regions. Furthermore, with maize prices trading below the government-mandated support price, farmers in some areas are prioritizing soybean cultivation over maize this season.