Maize
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 123 acres here. Priced from mandis across your state.
₹16,000–₹24,000
per acre a season, before costs
At typical costs, from a loss of ₹6,000 to a profit of ₹2,000 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 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 390 mm it can use in a normal year, and 240 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 37 °C / 27 °C
- Jul 33 °C / 26 °C
- Aug 32 °C / 25 °C
- Sep 32 °C / 24 °C
Soil
Soil for Maize: 8 out of 10 (good).
- The pH here suits it.
- Salt in the soil here can harm 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 iron.
Likes pH 5.0–7.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 8.1 quintals an acre, the typical figure in your state (your district's own figure looked wrong).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹2,475 a quintal across mandis in your state.
This week: about ₹2,500 a quintal, the middle of 7 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would lose about ₹2,000 a season at typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹2,410 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,710 2021
- ₹2,150 2022
- ₹2,210 2023
- ₹2,360 2024
- ₹2,230 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 11 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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
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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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.