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Informist, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

 

By Pallavi Singhal

 

NEW DELHI – India's maize production is expected to rise to 50 million tonnes in the crop year 2025-26 (Jul-Jun) from an estimated 43 million tonnes in 2024-25, driven by higher productivity, wider adoption of improved seed varieties, and rising demand from the ethanol sector, Indian Institute of Maize Research Director Hanuman Sahay Jat said.

 

"Over the longer term, production could rise to around 70 million tonnes by 2030 and about 140 million tonnes by 2047," Jat told Informist on the sidelines of a two-day industry conference in Gurugram. Maize production, which grew at a compound annual growth rate of 6–7% since 2014, accelerated to about 12% in 2024-25 due to higher demand from ethanol makers, Jat said. 

 

India's maize output rose 15.2% to 43.4 million tonnes in 2024-25. The agriculture ministry has estimated maize production in the kharif season at 28.3 million tonnes, up 14.1% from a year ago.

 

The government is seeking to increase maize's share in ethanol production to about 80% over time, from just over 50% currently, as it aims to reduce reliance on rice and sugarcane for fuel blending and may even export excess ethanol, according to Jat.

 

PRODUCTIVITY GAINS 

Jat said the likely increase in production would be led primarily by yield improvements rather than a sharp expansion in acreage. "Average maize productivity in India is currently about 4 tonnes per hectare, which is expected to rise to 5.5 tonnes per hectare by 2030," he said.

 

"We are looking at increasing productivity by 3–4 tonnes per hectare by 2030 in many areas, mainly through newer hybrids and higher adoption of pest-resistant varieties," Jat said. Yields vary widely across seasons and regions. Rabi maize yields average about 6 tonnes per hectare, while kharif yields are significantly lower at around 2.5 tonnes per hectare, due to dependence on monsoon rainfall.

 

According to Jat, improved irrigation, quality seeds, and better crop management practices can help narrow this gap. "We already have at least seven model districts across states such as Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra, among others, where yields are much higher, in some cases reaching up to 13 tonnes per hectare," he said, attributing the gains to good quality seeds and better management practices.

 

ACREAGE CONCERNS

Jat said the government had earlier expressed concern when maize acreage expanded rapidly during the kharif season, displacing crops such as soybean and pulses. "There was some concern when maize began replacing soybean and pulses in certain regions," he said. "But we have now been asked to boost maize production again." Defining optimal crop areas would be key to ensuring sustainable agricultural practices, he said.

 

Beyond output and yields, the institute is also working on addressing quality issues, including aflatoxin contamination in maize, he said. "There has been concern of the rising aflatoxin levels in maize. We have begun work on developing a vaccine-like solution to reduce aflatoxin levels in maize," Jat said, adding that lowering contamination would be critical for food and feed use.

 

Aflatoxin is a toxic chemical produced by certain fungi that commonly infect crops such as maize, groundnut, and cottonseed, especially under hot, humid, and drought-stressed conditions. In maize, aflatoxin contamination typically occurs in the field during crop stress or after harvest due to poor drying or storage. Once present, aflatoxins are extremely difficult to remove because they are chemically stable and survive processing.

 

Aflatoxin affects the ethanol and feed industries. During ethanol production, aflatoxin does not degrade and can become concentrated in by-products such as distillers dried grains with solubles, which are used as animal feed. This increases risks to livestock health and limits the by-product's usability.

 

The Indian Institute of Maize Research is part of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and is responsible for planning and coordinating maize research programmes across the country.   End

 

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

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