India needs a new maize revolution

Maize, the queen of cereals, is becoming a vital source of raw material not only to increase ethanol production but also to feed growing poultry, animal feed, starch and other industries in India. As per estimates, India produced 34.6 million tonnes (mt) of maize in 2023-24 and has potential to double maize production to meet the supply-demand gap in the shortest possible time in a cost effective and sustainable manner.
Globally, maize is grown over 207 million hectares producing over 1,218 mt in 2022-23. The United States remains the largest producer of maize estimated at 387.7 mt, almost one-third of the global maize production. Moreover, other countries also harvest a bountiful of maize such as China (23 per cent), Brazil (11 per cent), European Union (5 per cent) and Argentina (4 per cent). However, India barely contributed 3 per cent at 34.6 mt from around 11 million hectares in 2022-23.
Notably, the US, Brazil and Argentina – the three largest producers of maize – dominate the global trade of 197 mt of maize exported primarily to China, the European Union, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Iran and Egypt. Moreover, about 116 mt, equivalent to 30 per cent of the US maize is processed annually to produce 56.85 billion litres of fuel ethanol, one of the largest markets for maize-based-ethanol, to meet almost 72 per cent of national biofuel blending requirement of 79.3 billion litres by volume in 2023. Most gasoline sold in the US has 10 per cent ethanol and is processed in the Midwest, the maize bowl of US.
Unleashing a second green revolution
India has recently embarked on a new policy paradigm to permit the blending of maize and grain-based ethanol under the National Policy on Biofuels (NPB) 2018. Moreover, the target for blending of ethanol petrol has increased multifold from just 1.53 per cent in 2013-14 to 10 per cent in 2021-22, 12.1 per cent blending in 2022-23 and expected to achieve the target of 20 per cent blending by 2024-25 and 30 per cent by 2029-30. At present, the grain-based distilleries are suppling ethanol to oil marketing companies (OMCs) estimated at 494 crore litres in 2022-23, primarily derived from sugar juice, cane molasses and rice, which needs to be increased to 1,016 crore litres by 2024-25.
NITI Aayog estimates that the current ethanol production capacity in India of 426 crore litres derived from molasses-based distilleries and 258 crore litres from grain-based distilleries is proposed to be expanded to 760 crore litres and 740 crore litres respectively to meet the expected demand of 1,016 crore litres of ethanol for EBP and 334 crore litres for other uses. This will require India to spare around 60 lakh tonnes of sugar and 165 lakh tonnes of grains per annum to meet E20 ethanol targets by 2024-25. Notably, the task force on sugarcane and sugar industry constituted under the Chairmanship of Professor Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture) of NITI Aayog clearly indicated that cereals, particularly maize and second generation (2G) biofuels with suitable technological innovations offer promise of a more environmentally benign alternative feedstock for production of ethanol.
Enhancing production
Maize is a crop of opportunity for future generations whereas continuously growing rice is lowering water table in the rice-growing areas of Indo-Gangetic plain resulting in distressed economic and ecological conditions. With the introduction of high yielding single cross, hybrid maize has become remunerative and the most suitable alternative to rice in irrigated conditions of Punjab, Haryana and Western UP in Kharif season. As a result, the opportunity to expand areas in irrigated belt, expanding maize in Rabi in Bihar, rice fallows with maize in Rabi in West Bangal, Odisha and North-Eastern States and cultivation of spring maize after potato, green peas and mustard harvest in Northern India. Diversification to maize cultivation in these areas would increase risk-free cropping intensity which would also fit very well in the scheme of diversification and intensification of maize based cropping system. Moreover, maize cultivation with long duration single cross hybrid in less than 1,200 mm rainfall areas with existing irrigation system through tubewell and canal can offer high returns and also save the government precious subsidies on power and water as maize growing can save upto 90 per cent power and 70 per cent water as compared to rice.
Source: TheHinduBusinessLine