Maize
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 2,408 acres here. Sold at 7 mandis in your district.
₹45,000–₹67,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹23,000–₹45,000 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 400 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 400 mm it can use in a normal year, and 210 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):
- Jul 30 °C / 22 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 22 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 22 °C
- Oct 31 °C / 22 °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.
- Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
- Most fields here are short of iron.
Likes pH 5.0–7.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 25 quintals an acre here (district figures).
Mandi price at this season's harvest so far (October 2026): about ₹2,250 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹2,918 a quintal, the middle of 14 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹51,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹2,410 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,750 2021
- ₹2,130 2023
- ₹2,620 2024
- ₹3,750 2025
Prices swing a lot from year to year, so income can be well above or below this range.
Prices are usually best in January.
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 31 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 52% 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.
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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 52%
- Muriate of Potash (MOP) 13%
- NPK Mixture 13%
- Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) 9%