Despite a sizeable acreage devoted to maize farming in Chhattisgarh, Centre’s sops for promotion of the crop cultivation seems to be still focussed on state of Punjab , Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Notably, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh said in New Delhi on Thursday last said that Central Government is providing machineries like seed/grain dryers, sheller and seeds planters etc. to promote the farming of maize in the original states of Green Revolution ( Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh) so as to encourage varied crops of maize.
Keeping in view the varied experiments of maize the Central Government is promoting maize farming with different schemes. The government is imparting subsidy on maize seeds through National Food Security Mission (NFSM) ( Rs50 per kg on hybrid seeds and Rs. 15 per kg on composite seeds), he had stated.
Notably, there had been an increase of 20 per cent in Maize crop acreage in Chhattisgarh during the past 10 years, officials informed.
Maize is the second most-sought after crop after paddy preferred by farmers in Chhattisgarh. The crop is used in cornflakes, oil extraction, starch, making popcorn, organic fuel and for many other purposes, officials stated.
Maize is mainly produced in Bastar district's 'Patar' region (Plateau area) and Surguja's hilly terrain during the Kharif season. It is grown in these areas in the courtyard for the past several generations. The tribal farmers grow Maize and shift to taking up oilseeds crops.
The farmers grow two crops on an unirrigated agricultural land in a year. The crop can be grown all over the year with irrigation facilities. The farmers sow soyabean , paddy and also Makka crops. After paddy, corn is the most popular crop among farmers in the State.
The market is readily available for Maize whether it is for -maize seeds, for fodder, popcorn and many other
purposes.
Traders purchase corn directly from the farmers' fields in the villages. Sweet corn is also in several villages at present. The plateau areas of Bastar higher reaches and Surguja district's hilly terrain are ideally suited for cultivating corn crop.
Agriculture is dependent on monsoon rains and Maize is a major crop for the farmers in these regions. It can be grown in any part of the state. If the crop is grown on a scientific basis it can be grown on a limited expenditure, labour and minimum capital.
The sowing of Maize seeds are done on a row-basis. It is cultivated and grown in a short period of time.
Maize crop was sown on land acreage of 1.60 lakh hectares in 2003-2004 and the output was 2.24 lakh metric ton. The sowing had increased to 1.92 lakh hectares of land in the year 2012-2013. The percentage of land used for sowing corn has increased by 20 per cent and the production by 56 per cent.The output was 3.50 lakh metric tonnes in 2012-2013.
The Agriculture Department is primarily responsible for the rapid growth in output and popularity of the maize crop among the farmers in Chhattisgarh. Mini-kits are supplied to the farmers and technical advice is provided whenever it is deemed fit. Extension Reforms ( Aatma) programme helped the farmers in getting details of the corn crop. There is huge potential for spreading corn crop in the entire is expecting Maize crop output of nearly 7.45 lakh metric tonnes this 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 signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three companies mainly- BMD Starch Pvt ltd., Kakkad Udyog ltd and Indian Agro and Food Industries recently.
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 Rs 670 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.