Maize
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 3.1 lakh acres here. Sold at 19 mandis in your district.
₹20,000–₹30,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹2,000 to a profit of ₹8,000 an acre a season
- Suits: Rain is enough
- Suits: Ideal temperatures
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain is enough in a normal year. Keep one irrigation ready for a dry year.
Needs about 390 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 380 mm it can use in a normal year, and 290 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 / 26 °C
- Jul 32 °C / 24 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 24 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 23 °C
Soil
Soil for Maize: 7 out of 10 (okay).
- 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 organic carbon.
Likes pH 5.0–7.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 11 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹2,263 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹2,675 a quintal, the middle of 10 mandis in your district (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹7,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹2,410 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,460 2021
- ₹2,040 2022
- ₹1,960 2023
- ₹2,100 2024
- ₹1,940 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 13 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 45% of local fields of this crop get it.
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Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.
Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.
Few local farmers add it to this crop, so it's an easy place to get ahead.
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Short of iron Your soil is likely short of iron.
Spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.
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 45%
- Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) 10%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 7%
- Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate / Monohydrate 5%