**Executive Summary**
This document, posted on February 10, 2026, by PIB Delhi, details the efforts to promote maize cultivation in India. It outlines the implementation of the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) and provides data on fund allocation, release, and expenditure for maize and barley from 2020-21 to 2024-25. The document also mentions the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for maize.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM):**
* Implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) in 28 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs).
* Aims to increase the production of Rice, Wheat, Coarse Cereals (Maize & Barley), Nutri-Cereals, and Commercial Crops through area expansion and productivity enhancement.
* **Funding for NFSNM-Coarse Cereals (Maize & Barley):**
* Allocation, release, and expenditure of funds (Central Share) from 2020-21 to 2024-25 are provided in (Rs In crores):
| Year | Allocation | Release | Expenditure |
| :------ | :--------- | :------ | :---------- |
| 2020-21 | 72.03 | 50.48 | 43.95 |
| 2021-22 | 66.21 | 23.55 | 28.90 |
| 2022-23 | 44.57 | 19.51 | 18.06 |
| 2023-24 | 68.68 | 39.32 | 28.76 |
| 2024-25 | 92.57 | 73.48 | 61.70 |
* **Assistance to Farmers:**
* Provided through the States/UTs under NFSNM-Coarse (Maize & Barley) for demonstration of crop production & protection technologies, distribution of certified seeds, Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management measures, and capacity building through cropping system-based trainings.
* **Minimum Support Price (MSP):**
* Government provides MSP to encourage maize cultivation and ensure remunerative prices.
* The MSP for maize has been increased to Rs. 2400/- quintal for the year 2025-26, which is 7.8% higher than the previous year.
* **Other Initiatives:**
* The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) facilitates maize trading and ensures better prices at Regulated Market Committees (RMC).
* Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements schemes like Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) to promote maize-based value addition.
* **ICAR and Maize Research:**
* Three ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) projects and one International Maize & Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) project have been approved under NFSM.
* Research efforts of ICAR have led to the development and release of high yielding and stress-tolerant varieties/hybrids of maize.
* 315 maize varieties/hybrids have been released by the Central Variety Release Committee for cultivation on farmers' fields between 2014 and 2025.
* **Data on Maize Cultivation:**
* State-wise number of operational holdings engaged in the cultivation of Maize (as per the latest agriculture census, 2015-16) is included in Annexure I.
* The top maize-producing regions in terms of area and productivity during the last five years are included in Annexure II.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Farmers**
**Impact:**
* Farmers receive assistance through the NFSNM for crop production, protection technologies, certified seeds, and training.
* Guaranteed a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for maize to ensure remunerative income.
* Access to improved maize varieties/hybrids and market linkages to enhance production and profitability.
**Action Required:**
* Participate in training programs.
* Adopt new technologies and improved seed varieties.
* Utilize market linkages to sell their produce at better prices.
**Stakeholder: State Governments/UTs**
**Impact:**
* Responsible for implementing NFSNM at the local level, distributing assistance to farmers, and promoting maize cultivation in their regions.
* Required to assist maize farmers in accessing MSP.
**Action Required:**
* Distribute funds and resources to farmers.
* Conduct training and awareness programs.
* Facilitate access to markets and MSP.
**Stakeholder: Research Institutions (ICAR, IIMR, CIMMYT)**
**Impact:**
* Expected to continue research and development efforts to improve maize varieties, increase productivity, and address climate resilience.
**Action Required:**
* Develop high yielding maize varieties.
* Conduct research on climate resilient maize varieties.
* Collaborate with State Governments to promote maize cultivation.
Key Entities Referenced
National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM): A mission implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to increase the production of various crops, including maize, through area expansion and productivity enhancement.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW): The department implementing the National Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) and responsible for policies related to agriculture and farmer welfare.
Minimum Support Prices (MSP): Government-provided prices for maize to encourage farmers to cultivate it and ensure remunerative prices.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: The ministry responsible for overseeing the policies and programs related to agriculture and farmer welfare, including maize cultivation.
ICAR-All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Maize: A research project focused on developing location-specific maize varieties/hybrids for improved production.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
CULTIVATION OF MAIZE
Posted On: 10 FEB 2026 6:36PM by PIB Delhi
The data on farmers engaged in cultivation of Maize is not maintained centrally. However, the state-wise
number of operational holdings engaged in cultivation of Maize as per latest agriculture census, 2015-16
is at annexure I. Further, the top maize-producing regions in terms of area under maize cultivation and
productivity during the last five years is given at annexure II.
(c) to (e): The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing the National
Food Security & Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) in the 28 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs) with the
objective to increase production of Rice, Wheat, Coarse Cereals (Maize & Barley), Nutri-Cereals (Shree
Anna) and Commercial Crops (Cotton, Jute & Sugarcane) through area expansion and productivity
enhancement.
The Allocation, Release and Expenditure of funds (Central Share) under NFSNM-Coarse Cereals (Maize
& Barley) from 2020-21 to 2024-25 are given below:
(Rs In crores)
Year Allocation Release Expenditure
2020-21 72.03 50.48 43.95
2021-22 66.21 23.55 28.90
2022-23 44.57 19.51 18.06
2023-24 68.68 39.32 28.76
2024-25 92.57 73.48 61.70
Under NFSNM-Coarse (Maize & Barley), the assistance is being provided to the farmers, through the
States/UTs, for demonstration on crop production & protection technologies, for distribution of certified
seeds, for Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management measures, for capacity building of farmers through
cropping system-based trainings etc.
The Government provides Minimum Support Prices (MSP) of maizeover the years to encourage farmers
for cultivation of maize and ensure remunerative prices. During the year 2025-26, MSP of maize has been
increased to Rs. 2400/- quintal, which is 7.8% higher than previous year. State governments assistingmaize farmers through central sector scheme, National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) for facilitating maize
trading and ensuring better price at Regulated MarketCommittees(RMC).
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing schemes like Pradhan Mantri
Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada
Yojana (PMKSY) to promote maize-based value addition, processing clusters and market linkages in the
country. Ministry extends financial support to prospective entrepreneurs for setting up of different kinds
of food processing industries including maize based processing units, as per respective scheme guidelines.
Further, to improve production & productivity of maize three projects of ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize
Research (IIMR), Ludhiana and one project of International Maize & Wheat Improvement Centre
(CIMMYT) have been approved under NFSM. Besides, research efforts of Indian Council of Agricultural
Research (ICAR) has led to the development and release of high yielding and stress tolerant
varieties/hybrids of maize.
Besides, the various centres of the ICAR-All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Maize are
also engaged in the R&D of Maize in different states and are contributing significantly in development of
location specific high yielding climate resilient varieties/hybrids for improving production of Maize. As
far as steps taken to promote Maize cultivation, improve productivity and extension or capacity building
programmes are concerned, during 2014-25, a total of 315 maize varieties/hybrids have been released by
Central Variety Release Committee for cultivation on farmers field in different agro-ecologies of country.
Annexure I
State-wise number of operational holdings engaged in cultivation of Maize
Sl. No State Name 2015-16
1 A & N ISLANDS 2
2 ANDHRA PRADESH 3,20,522
3 ARUNACHAL PRADESH 87,814
4 ASSAM 68,474
5 BIHAR 43,17,309
6 CHANDIGARH 70
7 CHATTISGARH 3,32,217
8 D & N HAVELI 5
9 DAMAN & DIU -
10 DELHI 41411 GOA -
12 GUJARAT 3,05,931
13 HARYANA 17,973
14 HIMACHAL PRADESH 6,50,011
15 JAMMU & KASHMIR 5,27,215
16 JHARKHAND 7,67,875
17 KARNATAKA 12,91,432
18 KERALA 3,021
19 LAKSHADWEEP -
20 MADHYA PRADESH 14,78,284
21 MAHARASHTRA 10,66,819
22 MANIPUR 29,851
23 MEGHALAYA 1,06,445
24 MIZORAM 13,555
25 NAGALAND 1,17,525
26 ODISHA 4,05,415
27 PUDUCHERRY -
28 PUNJAB 1,20,888
29 RAJASTHAN 15,05,234
30 SIKKIM 53,677
31 TAMIL NADU 6,28,958
32 TELENGANA 8,17,66733 TRIPURA 11,309
34 UTTAR PRADESH 13,69,224
35 UTTARAKHAND 2,92,318
36 WEST BENGAL 2,22,812
ALL INDIA 1,69,30,266
Source:- As per Agriculture Census,2015-16
Annexure II
Top State under maize cultivation during the last five years
(In terms of Area & Productivity)
2020-21
Sr. State Area State Productivity/Yield (In
No. Kg/Ha)
(In thousand Ha)
1 Karnataka 1,726 Telangana 6,782
2 Madhya Pradesh 1,405 West Bengal 6,752
3 Maharashtra 1,182 Tamil Nadu 6,408
4 Rajasthan 993 Andhra Pradesh 5,917
5 Uttar Pradesh 773 Delhi 5,091
2021-22
1 Karnataka 1,592 Tamil Nadu 7,066
2 Madhya Pradesh 1,400 West Bengal 6,989
3 Maharashtra 1,251 Andhra Pradesh 5,553
4 Rajasthan 952 Telangana 5,403
5 Uttar Pradesh 747 Delhi 5,1002022-23
1 Karnataka 1,912 Andhra Pradesh 7,138
2 Madhya Pradesh 1,448 Tamil Nadu 7,007
3 Maharashtra 1,345 West Bengal 6,285
4 Rajasthan 957 Bihar 5,854
5 Uttar Pradesh 891 Telangana 5,557
2023-24
1 Karnataka 1,972 West Bengal 6,633
2 Madhya Pradesh 1,543 Tamil Nadu 6,239
3 Maharashtra 1,326 Andhra Pradesh 6,225
4 Uttar Pradesh 1,104 Bihar 5,975
5 Bihar 956 Telangana 5,671
2024-25
1 Madhya Pradesh 2,303 West Bengal 6,999
2 Karnataka 1,914 Andhra Pradesh 6,510
3 Maharashtra 1,625 Bihar 6,101
4 Rajasthan 1,007 Telangana 5,860
5 Bihar 896 Tamil Nadu 5,487
Source : DA&FW
This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath
Thakur in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
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