Introduction:
India is the 5th Largest producer (Source: FAO(Updated as on 01-12-2023) and 14th Largest exporter of Maize in the world (Source: UN-COMTRADE data 2022).
Globally it is highly valued for its multifarious use as food, feed, fodder and raw material for large number of industrial products. Maize with its wide adaptability can be grown with elevation ranging from sea level to up to 3000 m above mean sea level.
India has strategic and geographical advantage over other countries towards supply of maize to international market. This includes round-the-year production of maize in our country, well-established seed production and marketing network and availability of sea-port. However, the domestic demand itself is very high. Hence, export of maize from India is not that significant now.
In addition to staple food for human being and quality feed for animals, maize serves as a basic raw material as an ingredient in thousands of industrial products that includes starch, oil, protein, alcoholic beverages, food sweeteners, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, film, textile, gum, package and paper industries, etc.
Areas of Cultivation:
Major Maize-growing states in India are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Area: As per DA&FW, the area under cereal production in India was as in below table (Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfares, 3nd Advance estimates, 2023-24).
India's Production:
Production of maize is estimated to be as in below table in 2023-24 (3rd Advance Estimate).
| Production in FY24’ (Mt)(Mil) | Area under Cultivation in FY24’ (000ha) | |
| Maize | 35.67 | 9957.95 |
Exports:
The country has exported maize to the world in 2023-24 as in below table.
| Export Volume FY24 (MT) | Exported in FY24 (USD Mil) | |
| Maize | 14,42,671.48 | 443.53 |
Major Export Destinations (2023-24): Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand.