Maize exports up by 24% in FY'13

India’s maize exports rose 24 per cent to 4.78 million tonnes in financial year 2012-13 due to adequate domestic supply and traders adopting better packaging practices to meet global standards, an industry body said today.

India had exported 3.85 million tonnes of maize (corn) in the previous financial year.

“There has been a substantial increase in maize exports. Production was higher and exporters took measures to improve packaging practices to meet the global standards of shipment,” Indian Maize Development Association President Sain Das said on the sidelines of an event here.

According to the data maintained by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS), maize exports increased in value terms to $1,302 million in 2012-13, as against $1,075.70 million in the previous year.

Stating that maize production is on the rise every year, Das said production in the 2013-14 crop year (July-June) is expected to increase to 23 million tonnes, as against 21.82 million tonnes in the 2012-13 crop year.

Timely monsoon, adoption of improved technologies like single-cross hybrids and crop management practices would help increase overall production of maize this year, he said. Maize is cultivated twice a year, during summer and winter. India is Asia's largest exporter of the grain, with a major contribution coming from the summer crop.

Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are major producers of maize crop in the country.