By Paul Babu
The farmers in the district increasingly rely on corn harvesting thanks to its high demand in the poultry industry, low investments, minimal pest risk, reduced work needs, low water consumption, resistance to undesirable weather and a short harvest period of 100 days
‘Irregular rains and long drymales failed almost 15 years ago our harvest. Agriculture felt like happiness of happiness. After taking corn, however, things changed. It requires less water, holds any weather and delivers good yields. Even if rain is irregular, we have no major losses. Corn is a large poultry food, so his demand, of course, gives us good prices. Most of us do not even take on loans for corn, ”said Vadde Uligappa (55), a farmer who has been cultivating corn since 2012 and comes from Putlur Mandal of the Ananta -apur district in Andhra Pradesh.
The farmers of 36 villages in Bommanahal, D. Hire, Putlur, Peddavadugur, Vidapanakal, Tadipatri, Kundurpi and Kanecal Mandals will mainly grow. ‘Those with holes sometimes opt for peanuts, chili peppers or cotton, and some even try sugar cane. However, all of this needs a lot of water and is not like corn air -conditioned, ”added Uligappa.
The average annual temperature in the Anantapur district rose from 27.3 ° C in 2014 to 28 ° C in 2024. The top nut temperatures, which lay between 30 ° C and 35 ° C, was 44.7 ° C in 2024. This sharp increase has agriculture, water availability and public health, which corresponds to the strategies for adapting the public adaptation, affected the strategies for adapting the climate.
“Now almost every corn includes the main agent – it is profitable and reliable,” added Gudipati Nettekumeiah (54) from Uddehalt and K Mallikarjuna (40) from Bommanahal. According to the deputy statistics officer M. Parvathappa, 702 acres of Mais in Bommanahal Mandal were insured by 350 farmers in the Kharif season, while 333 ACRES from 107 farmers were insured in the Rabi season for 2024-2025.
Accordingly Anantapurs official websiteThe district receives an average annual precipitation of 552 mm. ‘Corn is a high water -efficient harvest that only requires 500 to 600 mm water per vegetation period, while Paddy consumes 1,240 mm. Simply put, the amount of water that is required for a hectare paddy can be conveniently supported [2.47 acres] From corn in the black cotton floor and two acres in the red floor, ‘said a deputy director of the Andhra Pradesh State Agriculture Department 101 Reporter by phone under the condition of anonymity.
“In the past, we grown corn during the Kharif season as intercrops in order to efficiently master the water assigned to both Paddy and corn. Villages in Bommanahal, D. Hire, Kanecal, Vidapankal and Uavakonda Mandals assigned to irrigation of 35,541 hectares.
Low investments, high returns
Traditionally cultivated farmers of the AnantaPur Paddy and peanut. The corn cultivation began in 1998 after the farmers had learned the concept of climate change from fertilizers who also explained to them why corn was color -friendly and profitable. This gradually led to an increased corn production.
Paddy needs continuous irrigation, Paddy fields in Bandur (photo – Paul Babu, 101 reporter)
However, since Paddy is a traditional harvest and a status symbol for farmers, those with over 10 hectares and access to holes were further expanded. If you have 10 acres, you will most likely grow on seven and corn in three acres. Small farmers became their consumption together with Mais Paddy in the Kharif season.
Bauer Chennareddy Gopal (48) from Bommanahal cultivated paddy three times a year before the hard Reality of climate change began to manifest. He used to get RS 22 to 23 per kg of the products, for which the present rate was 22.50 to 24 kg. Mais now also achieves similar prices, with the current prices between 22.50 and 25 RS per kg.
‘Even when I was 12 years old, Mais was sold with 500 RS Pro Quintal. Even then it was profitable. I have never levied losses with this harvest, ‘said Yerragunta Swamylinga (46), a tenants from Putlur, who cultivated eight actions in Devagiri.
K anand, a local guide to the YSR congress party in Devagiri, agreed that he had never heard of corn with corn in the 30 years of his agricultural journey. “We grow in Rabi at least twice,” he added.
‘Mais delivers better in Rabi than in Kharif, although it is a multi -year and non -traditional harvest. Black cotton floor improves the yield due to its water retention capacity, while red bottom lacks water retention capacity.
“Pouring once or twice a month is only enough once or twice a month. Even if we invest 30,000 rupees a morning, we still achieve at least 30,000 rupees,” confirmed the farmer K Vijayakumar (32) from Bommanahal.
Chennareddy Basavaraju (51) from Bommanahal cultivates corn to 70 acres. ‘Corn needs fewer investments, but delivers higher profits. It also grows in every climate. Most of us grow twice in Kharif and once in Rabi, while those with boreholes grow twice in Rabi and Paddy in Kharif. Our yields range from 25 to 40 quintal per morning. For Paddy we get five to 35 quintals a morning, ”explained Basavaraju.
While the investment costs for corn are between 20,000 and 30,000 per morning, farmers report up to 50,000 RS per morning. Poultry farm owners procure corn directly from birds at reasonable prices. As for Paddy, the total investment is between 30,000 and 40,000 rupees, while the result is between 50,000 and 70,000 and sometimes 80,000 rupees depending on the varieties and market conditions.
“For Paddy we have to keep the field of two weeks before the harvest. But with corn we can also grow it without editing the country,” said Gopal.
The comparison of the water needs of rice and corn, Dr. G Raghunadha Reddy, Main Scientist (agricultural economy), Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur, told 101 Reporters that corn need 90 percent less water and 70 percent less electricity (to pump the water) compared to the rice amount.
However, corn is susceptible to damage if it is covered over water, especially in the first 40 days. Agriculture officers do not recommend any methods without a tillage that save 15 to 20 days and investment and prove to be particularly advantageous in the case of conditions that are prudent.
Increasing demand
The low investment of the corn harvest, the minimal pest risk, reduced work needs, low water consumption, resistance to undesirable weather and a short 100-day harvest time make it more profitable than conventional commercial cultures. According to the 2022-23 data of the Directorate for Economic Affairs and Statistics, the district of Anantapur recorded an overall production of grain and millet of 2,74,397 tons, with corn alone 1,61,542 tons. In fact, corn production exceeded the combined performance of all millet in the district.
A farmer sun maggail corn on a black cotton floor in Bommanahal (photo-paul Babu, 101 reporter)
According to the government of Andhra Pradesh, 1,93,350 farmers insured in the 2024 Kharif 3.44.159 Morny season, while 2,06.121 farmers in the Rabi season 4,37,710 Acres insured.
‘The poultry sector alone makes up more than half of the country’s domestic corn consumption. Demand has increased since 1998 and is expected to remain stable as long as the most important dependent industries of poultry, cattle feed and alcoholic beverages continue to thrive. She added that Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and West Bengal were the big corn consumers.
According to Bhargavi, MM9344 (DMH 192) is mainly cultivated during the Kharif season in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra, while Bisco X 5129 is widely preferred for Rabi. “Since corn hybrids cut differently under different climatic conditions, scientists regularly visit fields to evaluate regional adaptability and recommend the most suitable varieties,” she added.
The corn cultivation is mainly based on three types of variety traditional varieties, high-ranking varieties and hybrids. Almost all farmers prefer hybrids who are made exclusively by private agencies. “The government does not play a direct role in increasing corn production, since the farmers themselves drive their expansion due to their profitability,” said the deputy director of agriculture.
Reddy explained that the government does not intervene through the establishment of procurement centers, since 62 percent of corn are mainly used for poultry and cattle feed, while only 8 percent are used for human consumption. He added that corn is rightly referred to as the “Queen of the Muesli” because every part of the plant – grain, leaves, stems, tassels and cob – has the economic value.
Reddy also found that representatives of fertilizers play a key role in promoting corn cultivation, since modern corn varieties offer higher yields, disease resistance and adaptability to different soil and climate conditions. “On average, these high -ranking varieties compared to conventional varieties improved the productivity of corn by 25 to 30 percent.”
“Since corn hybrids are disease-resistant, a family of four can easily manage 10 hectares of corn. Otherwise we would have to spend a lot for pesticides and set spray devices and pay around 500 rupees a morning. Even weeds don’t grow much with hybrids,” said Gopal.
According to the Icar-Indian Institute of Mais Research, India is in fourth place in the corn cultivation area and in the production of seventh production. Under grain, corn has the highest growth rate in both the area and in productivity and has increased by over 50 kg/ha since 2010, which means that it is the fastest growing food harvest in India.
The Crop Outlook report on corn At the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Policy Research (Carp), Aggrau, for 2023-24 as a maize as the third most important grain harvested India according to rice and wheat and has contributed 10 percent of the entire production of food grains. According to the Ministry of Economics and Statistics, Andhra Pradesh (DESAP), the state occupies the 13th place in the corn cultivation area with 2.91 LAKH hectares with a production of 19.04 LAKH tons (5.34 percent of India) with a productivity of 6.543 kg per hectare in 2023-24.
The minimum support price for corn in 2024-25 is 2,225 rupees per quintal and marks an increase in RS 135 per quintal compared to the previous year. Corn cultivation in Andhra Pradesh has recorded an exponential increase in the past three decades, with the area of 838.71 percent increasing (compound annual growth rate: 8.68 percent), production by 2,922.2 percent (CAGR: 12.35 percent) and productivity for a CAGR of 3.39 percent.
Paul Babu is a freelance journalist and member of 101 reportersA Pan-India network of basic reporters.
101 Reporters is a Pan-India network of basic reporters that emerges unheard of stories from the hinterland.
