Boost kharif maize cultivation for industrial biofuel needs

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Last Updated: 16 April 2025

18 Ethanol plants in Punjab have a huge demand of an annual 35 lakh tonnes for maize[1]
-- Punjab’s average maize production is 5 lakh tonnes only
-- 100 kg maize produces 35-42 litres of Bio-ethanol, which is blended with petrol[2]

Punjab has increased maize to 0.98 lakh hectares in 2024 from 0.94 lakh hectares in 2023[3]

Promotion Policies 2024-25

  • Quality Seeds for Better Yield: Rs.100 per kg subsidy provided on purchase of certified hybrid maize seeds[3:1]
  • Under maize demonstrations, a total area of 3500 hectares receive financial support of Rs. 6000/- per hectare[3:2]
  • Maize is being specifically encouraged in a 45-50-km radius of the distilleries for convenient transportation[1:1]

Maize vs Paddy[1:2]

  • Kharif maize is the best alternative to paddy as the former requires 4-5 irrigation cycles, a fraction of the water requirement to grow rice
  • Organic waste of maize is digested easily by the soil effortlessly

Issues identified[1:3]

  • 30% Lower Yield: Average yield of maize was 15 quintals per acre against the potential average of 24 quintals due to lack of Quality Seeds
  • Over the last few years, maize cultivation was used to silage, considered a superfood for cattle and as poultry feed BUT now industrial use has solved this
  • Spring maize cultivated in June is being discouraged, which requires large amounts of water during May-June when the days are long, hot, and dry
    • Summer maize successfully decreased from 66,817 hectares in 2023 to 44,834 hectares in 2024[4]

Stagnant Area under Cultivation[5]

Year Area under maize in Punjab (in lakh ha.)
2023-24[3:3] 0.98
2023-24[3:4] 0.94
2022-23 1.06
2021-22 1.05
2020-21 1.09
2019-20 1.07
2018-19 1.09
2017-18 1.15
2016-17 1.16
2015-16 1.27
2014-15 1.26

REFERENCES:

  1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/punjab-agri-dept-to-boost-kharif-maize-cultivation-for-biofuel-needs-101708283428717.html ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/sowing-maize-as-paddy-replacement/ ↩︎

  3. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=196857 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  4. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/area-under-summer-maize-dips-by-32-in-2024-pau-experts-101744746431545.html ↩︎

  5. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/punjab-maize-area-plateau-8700210/ ↩︎

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