Raipur, March 3.In the last three-four years in the state of Chhattisgarh, the inclination of the farmers for the cultivation of maize has increased rapidly.
Meanwhile, the area under maize cultivation has increased from 13 thousand hectares to one lakh 46 thousand hectares, which is more than 10 times. With the purchase of maize at the rate of Rs 1870 per quintal on support price in the state and the establishment of a processing center in Kondagaon, farmers have started getting better prices for their produce.
This has resulted in sharp increase in the area under maize. After getting permission from the centre, preparations are in full swing to set up a plant for the production of ethanol at Kondagaon Maize Processing Center.
In the last Rabi season 2020-21, farmers had cultivated maize in 93 thousand 200 hectares in the state, which has now been increased to one lakh 46 thousand 130 hectares in the current Rabi season. The increase in the area under maize by about 53,000 hectares in a year is a record in itself.
It is worth mentioning that farmers of the state had cultivated maize in only 13 thousand 440 hectares of land in the Rabi season 2017-18. In the year 2016-17, maize was cultivated in only 12 thousand hectares in the Rabi season. Three to four years ago, there were a dozen districts in the state where maize cultivation was almost non-existent. In current scenario, maize cultivation has been started by the farmers in all the districts except Koriya.
This has resulted in increase in area under maize cultivation by more than 10 times. In comparison to the year 2016-17, the area under maize cultivation has increased by 130 times in the districts of Bilaspur division. Earlier, maize cultivation was done only in 680 hectares of land in the districts of Bilaspur division, which has increased drastically to 19 thousand 662 hectares today. Highest maize cultivation is being done in 45 thousand 880 hectares in Kondagaon district of the state. Earlier, maize cultivation was done in barely 9 thousand hectares here. Similar situation is there in Kanker district.
In three-four years, the area under maize cultivation in Kanker district has increased from 8,000 hectares to more than 28,000 hectares.
The area under maize cultivation has increased from 2300 hectares to 21 thousand hectares in the districts of Raipur division, from 1100 hectares to 8780 hectares in Durg division and from 680 hectares to 10690 hectares in Surguja division and from 16,000 hectares to 85,800 hectares in Bastar division. This year maize cultivation is being done in 1,46,130 hectares in the state.
Nakcheda Ram Naik, a farmer of village Bagdongri in Charama block of Kanker district said that now he is happy with the maize cultivation only as the profit is much higher than paddy cultivation. An income of about Rs 26 thousand is generated through maize cultivation in one acre. Last year, he cultivated maize in two acre and the produce was sold for Rs 50,000.
