Bahraich: Farmers cultivating maize in the district are seeing an increase in their income, leading to a steady expansion in the area under maize cultivation. The maize procured from farmers is being sold to the Parle mill, where it is used for ethanol production. As a result, farmers no longer have to struggle to find buyers for their produce, reports Jagran.
In this agriculture-based district, maize has traditionally been grown as a coarse grain. Earlier, farmers mainly used or sold maize in the form of flour, rice substitutes, or fresh cobs. However, with changing times, maize is now also being used to produce ethanol. This shift has encouraged farmers to significantly increase maize sowing in their fields.
District Agriculture Officer Dr Subedar Yadav said that during the recent rabi season, maize was cultivated over about 25,000 hectares in the district. The average yield ranged between 50 and 70 quintals per hectare. After harvest, maize was procured at five government-approved purchase centres as per official instructions. The procured maize was then sold to the Parle sugar mill at Parsendi, where it is being processed to produce ethanol.
Officials said the ethanol produced from maize is used for multiple purposes, including fuel blending, and in the manufacture of liquor, beer, medicines and sanitisers.
Farmers from different areas of the district said maize has emerged as a profitable crop because it requires less time and lower input costs compared to other crops. They added that assured government procurement has helped them secure better returns, making maize cultivation an attractive option for the future.
