Maize acreage goes up in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar as prices rise

MYSURU: Maize cultivators in the twin districts of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar have a reason to cheer as they are set to reap a rich harvest this year following a sudden spike in the prices.
Prices have almost doubled this year to Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,500. It was Rs 1,200 per quintal last year. Spike in prices for maize has even surpassed the MSP per quintal (Rs 1,920).
The sudden hike in prices is attributed to an increase in prices of wheat as maize is used as an alternative for wheat for the production of cattle and poultry feed.Farmers have taken up maize cultivation on around 12,000 hectares of land in Mysuru and on 4,200 hectares in Chamarajanagar this kharif season.
Farmers of the region have been cultivating maize in both irrigated and rain-fed land utilising the available water resources like irrigation pump sets and canal water. As farmers received rains from mid of March, they have grown maize in a large area of land.
Though the government authorities had not opened procurement centres to buy maize from farmers, local poultry farmers and poultry traders and industrialists from neighboring Tamil Nadu and other states are buying maize directly. As private traders have been showing great interest this year, prices have also shot up. “I have harvested 35 to 40 quintals with a good profit of Rs 52,000 this year against Rs 28,000 last year from one acre of land,” said Mariswamy, a maize grower in Hasuvatti village in T Narasipura taluk.
“As there is no proper facility to dry or market maize, government must ensure it as there is a huge demand for maize from both cattle and poultry feed makers,” said Honnur Prakash, Chamarajanagar district chief of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha.
Speaking to TOI, Mysuru joint director of agriculture K M Chandrashekhar said the department has been encouraging a large number of farmers including tobacco growers of Hunsur, Periyapatna, H D Kote taluk to take up maize as an alternative to tobacco as it fetches decent prices in the market.
The department also encourages paddy and sugarcane growers to switch over to maize as it will allow them to grow three crops a year. Maize cultivation needs just three and half months for full harvest unlike yearlong crops like sugarcane. They can also sell maize at the nearest APMC market and get MSP, he said.