Apart from being a foodgrain, this is an industrial crop which is used as raw material by industries which make starch and glucose. This is also used as fodder. After rice this is the second most important kharif crop in India. Maize was introduced in India in the 17th century by the Portuguese. Maize crop needs temperature between 12 to 35° Celsius and rainfall between 50 to 100 cm. This crop needs nitrogen- rich soil which is well drained. India’s maize production is 60% which comes from Andhra Pradesh (19.3%), Karnataka (16.78%), Rajasthan (10.38%) Uttar Pradesh (10%), Gujarat (7.0%), Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. In Rajasthan; maize is grown in Kota, Bundi, Bara, Jhalawar, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara, Chittor, Ajmer, Ganganagar and Hanumangarh. India is the 10th largest producer of maize in the world. But this crop is not exported because of low production.
