India can achieve 50 mt maize output by 2025 to meet demand

India can double its maize production to 50 million tones (mt) by 2025 to meet the rising domestic demand of the crop, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Thursday.

In spite of the drought last year, the maize production stood at 24.17 mt in 2014-15, Singh said adding this signifies the resilience of maize cultivation against climatic variability.

As per the third advance esitmates, the maize production is projected at 21.02 mt in 2015-16 crop year.

About 64 per cent of the total maize production is used for poultry feed, followed by 16 per cent for human consumption, 19 per cent for industrial starch and beverage and 1 per cent for seed.

Keeping in view the recent interest of urban consumers especially in specialty corn, like sweet corn, baby corn, popcorn, etc, it is expected that demand for maize as food may rise to 2 mt by 2025, Singh said.

"By 2025, India will require 50 mt maize for domestic consumption, of which 32 mt for feed,15 mt for industrial sector, 2 mt as food and 1 mt for seed.Thus, doubling India's maize production would be an opportunity and it can be achieved," Singh said while addressing the India Maize Summit organised by an industry chamber here.

The minister said that in order to explore maximum uses of the crop, the maize-based industry needs to be promoted in a big way and special incentives need to be given for the cultivation of baby corn, popcorn, sweet corn, multigrain flour etc.

The quality protein maize (QPM) provides nutrient security to even remote areas of the country and programmes are needed to stress emphasis on the QPM, Singh said adding that special incentives should be provided to the private companies so that they can provide improved seed to remote areas like north eastern region.

The maize is cultivated throughout the year, 85 per cent during kharif (summer) season and 15 per cent during rabi season.