Maize output may dip due to floods in Karnataka

Maize output is likely to decline by up to 10 per cent due to recent floods in Karnataka, which contributes about 23 per cent to the overall production of the crop, say experts.

"The total output is likely to be 17-17.25 million tonnes in the 2009-10 season due to recent floods in Karnataka," SMC Global's Analyst Ajeet Kumar said.

During the 2008-09 season maize production stood at 19.29 million tonnes, according to the government data.

The floods in Karnataka affected around 2-2.5 lakh hectares maize crops in the northern belt of the state.

Meanwhile, the the natural calamity did not have much impact on crops grown in five districts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, he said.

However, the loss to the crop is limited as the area under maize in Karnataka this khariff season has grown to around 11 lakh hectares, which is 23 per cent higher against last year's acreage, Kumar said.

The total area covered under maize in the country is 71.08 lakh hectares against 70.53 lakh hectares last year.

Karvy Comtrade's Veeresh Hiramath said maize is mainly grown in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the khariff season in the country and contribute about 35 per cent to the total output.

The floods effect was negligible on corn crops in Andhra Pradesh, which contributes about 15 per cent to the total production, he added.