The document discusses India's potential as an export hub for maize in Southeast Asia, highlighting its current production statistics and the significance of maize in food security. It outlines challenges faced by maize farmers, such as insufficient customized practices and the need for improved seed varieties, while suggesting solutions like biotechnology integration and promoting processing industries. The emphasis is on addressing these challenges through government initiatives and innovative agricultural practices to enhance productivity and farmer livelihoods.

1. Farmer’s Perspective
PPS Pangli
President, Borlaug Farmers Association for South Asia
1
Developing India as an Export Hub for
Maize in South-East Asia

2. Current Status
• 129 thousand hectares with annual production of 4.7 lac
tonnes. The major maize growing districts are Hoshiarpur, SBS
Nagar and Jalandhar.
• India ranks sixth in maize production in the world with an area
of 9.4 million hectares and annual production of 23 million
tonnes.
• Globally it is a leading cereal and bases of food security in
African and Latin American countries.
• Maize can play a vital role in sustaining productivity and
improving livelihood of the farmers in the present day farming
scenario. There is a need to produce more from less area and
less water.
2

3. Significance of the Industry
• Maize is very important industrial crop emerging highest
starch content with ten essential amino acids and ten
essential elements that can be introduced in midday meal
with the support of government at Rs. 300-400 per qtl. extra.
• Nutrition aspect of maize need to be highlighted to make it
more popular as farmers favourite crop.
• Food has to go directly to people, much to for value addition
at basic level such as establishment of maize processing units,
production and processing of sweet corn and baby corn units
in local areas.
• Quality protein maize needs to be highlighted by the media,
industry and research scientist to the domestic and
international growing markets.
3

4. • The power of new sciences such as biotechnology
and nano technology must be used in these types of
crops.
• The maize productivity is highest in Tamil Nadu with
5.4 tonnes, Punjab with 4.0 tonnes, Harayana 3.0
tonnes and UP 1.80 tonnes.
• Maize being the third most important cereal crop
should be made farmer-industry-consumer friendly.
4

5. Challenges faced by maize farmers
• Farmers require customized package of practices in
zones not blankly recommended.
• Single cross hybrids were more cultivated in the past.
Now double cross hybrids are recommended with a
tag of nutritional aspects needs to be practicised out
of research labs.
• We need to strengthen seed replacement upto 50%
in open pollinated varieties in rained areas or with
micro irrigation zero drill introduction at grass root
level.
5

6. Why these challenges needs to be
addressed and Govt. initiatives
• Stereo type research is not required now.
• Diversification not possible overnight in
Punjab, Haryana and Western UP.
• Climate resilient water tolerant marker system
selection more required in present scenario
with correlated research due to climate
change.
6

7. Possible Solutions to address these
challenges
• Genetically modified maize has a good chance at this situation.
• Biotechnology and nano technology is to be used widely with good
management practices.
• Density maize is very important relooking the intercrop of pulses could
yield upto 8 MT per ha.
• Promotion of drip and sprinklers for seed production need to be started
to accelerate the maize management mission.
• Introduction of seed subsidy system particularly in baby corn and sweet
corn upto 50% by state government to make these varieties popular
with higher price tag in retail.
• Processing industry such as sweet corn, baby corn and quality protein
maize flour needs to be highly lighted among the common population to
increase the consumption.
7

8. Thank You
8