India aims to double maize output to 86 million tonnes by 2047: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan

India has the potential to more than double its maize production to 86 million tonnes by 2047, up from the current 42.3 million tonnes, according to Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Speaking at the 11th Maize Summit organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), he emphasised the need for high-yielding, non-genetically modified seed varieties with enhanced starch content. Currently, India’s average maize productivity stands at 3.7 tonnes per hectare, with states such as West Bengal and Bihar performing above the national average. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed 265 maize varieties, including 77 hybrids and 35 bio-fortified strains. However, Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed that further innovation is required to raise starch content to 72% from the current 65-70% to support broader applications.

He encouraged states like Punjab and Haryana to shift from water-intensive paddy cultivation to maize, aligning with the government’s ethanol blending target of 20% by 2026. He noted that maize prices, which were previously below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs. 2,400 (US$ 27.93) per quintal, have firmed up due to this policy push. Addressing concerns from the poultry sector over rising feed costs, he reiterated that farmer incomes must take precedence and assured separate resolutions for the industry. Managing Director of Corteva Agriscience, Mr. Subroto Geed, called for collaborative innovation to bridge the growing demand-supply gap in the maize sector.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.