Maize
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 9.6 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹16,000–₹25,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹6,000 to a profit of ₹3,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Suits: Soil 8/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain is enough, even in a dry year.
Needs about 350 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 780 mm it can use in a normal year, and 670 mm in a dry year.
Temperature
Grows best at 18–33 °C on average, and survives 10–47 °C.
Here, in its growing months (day / night):
- Jun 38 °C / 27 °C
- Jul 31 °C / 25 °C
- Aug 30 °C / 24 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 24 °C
Soil
Soil for Maize: 8 out of 10 (good).
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of nitrogen, which it needs a lot.
- Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of sulphur.
Likes pH 5.0–7.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 8.6 quintals an acre here (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹2,388 a quintal across mandis in your state.
This week: about ₹2,760 a quintal, the middle of 67 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹2,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹2,410 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,530 2021
- ₹2,050 2022
- ₹2,100 2023
- ₹2,120 2024
- ₹2,110 2025
Prices are usually best in November.
Typical costs are about ₹22,000 an acre (seed, fertiliser, labour and hired machines, from the government's cost survey). They are spent whatever the harvest.
How to make it work
The better districts with similar soil, rain and warmth get 14 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
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Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
About 38% of local fields of this crop get it.
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Short of sulphur Your soil is likely short of sulphur.
Use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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Short of boron Your soil is likely short of boron.
Mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
What local farmers put on it (share of fields):
- Urea 38%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 4%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 3%
- NPK Mixture 3%