1.3
MAIZE
Maize is the most important cereal crop with highest
production and productivity. It can be consumed as food, feed, fodder and is a source of
more than 3,500 products including specialized maize like quality protein maize (QPM),
baby corn, sweet corn, pop corn, high starch and high oil etc. It suitability to diverse
agro-eco-zones is unmatched to any other crop. Due to recent research advancements, the
quality protein maize, single cross and 3-way cross hybrids have given a fillip to the
nutritional quality of this cereal. It has immense potential for employment generation
through post harvest processing and value addition. Thus, maize occupies an important
position in sustainable agriculture. Concerted efforts in public sector over last fifty
years have made it possible to attain an overall eight fold increase in production and
nearly four fold increase in productivity of maize. However, after implementation of
Accelerated Maize Development Programme (AMDP) in a Mission Mode Approach, there has been
record increase in area, production & productivity of maize. |
