Maize
Sow in June, harvest around September
This season's sowing time (June–July) is over.
Grown on 40,924 acres here. Sold at 3 mandis in your district.
₹52,000–₹78,000
per acre a season, before costs
After typical costs: ₹30,000–₹56,000 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 380 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 550 mm it can use in a normal year, and 350 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 31 °C / 24 °C
- Aug 31 °C / 24 °C
- Sep 31 °C / 24 °C
Soil
Soil for Maize: 7 out of 10 (okay).
Not in the score: zinc, iron and boron.
- Soil here is often more alkaline than it likes.
- 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 manganese.
Likes pH 5.0–7.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 27 quintals an acre here in this season (district figures).
Mandi price at last season's harvest (September–October 2026): about ₹2,435 a quintal at mandis in your district.
This week: about ₹2,901 a quintal, the middle of 41 mandis in your state (latest 13 Nov). At that price an acre would leave about ₹56,000 a season after typical costs.
Minimum support price: ₹2,410 a quintal (2026-27), if you sell to government procurement.
- ₹1,690 2021
- ₹2,020 2022
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 26 quintals an acre. That's a realistic target.
-
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.
-
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.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of manganese Your soil is likely short of manganese.
Spray manganese sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, on the young crop.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.