Maize farmers in the insurgency-infested Bastar division would be entirely meeting raw material input needs for Rs100 crore ‘Starch Plant’ proposed in the region, officials stated.
The Industries Department in Chhattisgarh had earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up the plant.
The move is expected to benefit farmers who are willing to rotate crops in the region. Notably, Chhattisgarh is expecting Maize crop output of nearly 7.45 lakh metric tonnes during the current financial year, officials stated.
About 40 per cent of the Maize production comes from Kondagaon, Kanker and Bastar districts in the State.
A reasonably favourable crop output is also expected from Surguja division this year, officials stated.
In view of enormous prospect of promoting food processing units using Maize as raw material, the Chhattisgarh government had signed MoU with three companies mainly- BMD Starch Pvt ltd., Kakkad Udyog ltd and Indian Agro and Food Industries last year.
The aforesaid companies would establish their units in Bastar, Dhamtari and Rajnandgaon districts. The units would also establish their captive power units.
The total quantum of investment by the three companies is expected around Rs670 crore which is expected to provide direct employment to 5,000 people and indirect employment to nearly 35,000 people.
The proposed units would consume around four lakh metric tonnes of Maize annually. The move is expected to ensure a favourable price for the Maize output to the State’s farmers.
The Tamarind and Maize of Bastar division is in high demand overseas as proved by exports which was to the tune of more than Rs100 crore during the previous Kharif season of 2014, officials stated.
Maize cultivated by farmers in Bastar is already being exported to USA, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam while tamarind is being exported to Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Dubai.
In the Kharif season period more than six lakh quintals of maize worth Rs85 crore was exported from Bastar. Similarly 50,000 quintals of tamarind worth Rs20 crore was exported last year.
A few years ago, paddy and mustard were the key crops of Bastar region but the trend has changed during the past five years. The farmers go for Maize in Rabi and Kharif crops and getting higher returns in comparison to paddy.
Joint Director of Mandi Board Kumar Ram Banjare had stated that the total procurement of maize in different markets of Bastar division was 1758851 quintals in 2011-12, 20,25056 quintals in 2012-13 and 21,04478 quintals in 2013-14.
“The production of Maize is increasing year by year in the division and more and more farmers are interested in farming of Maize,” said Banjare.
Trader Shyam Somani said that the production of Maize in Bastar has increased during the past three years and farmers have shown interest in maize due to good returns.
The traders dealing in export of tamarind are yet to get any order as Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand have good yield of tamarind this year.
However, they have not lost hopes as they believe that the orders will come by the end of year. They have stored about 20,000 tonnes of tamarind in 11 cold storages of the division.
The Chhattisgarh Government had also been providing forest land holders free hybrid seeds for Maize cultivation.
In August last year, the State government distributed over 7 lakh quintal certified seeds of different crops including Paddy, Maize, Kodo-kutki, Raagi, Arhar, Urad, Moong, Kulthi, Soyabean, Groundnut, Til, Ramtil, Sunflower, San and Dhencha to farmers during the Kharif season.
The State Agriculture Department has also been advising Chhattisgarh's farmers to use ‘Seed Drill Technology’ for sowing of Paddy, Maize, Urad and Moong crops for a good yield.