Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has advised maize farmers to store the crop and sell it during June-July to get better returns as the price for good quality grains will prevail around Rs 1,420-Rs 1,450 per quintal during that period.
At present, maize is being sold at Rs 1,330-Rs 1,360 per quintal in Udumalpet Regulated Market.
An analysis of price trends in last 14 years by Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre in TNAU shows that the price of poor quality maize with high moisture content is about Rs 100 per quintal less as compared to good quality ones.
Tamil Nadu ranks fourth in maize cultivation area, which increased from 1.25 lakh hectares in 2013-14 to 1.74 lakh hectares in 2014-15.
In India, maize area cultivation has reduced to 12.22 lakh hectares in 2014-15 as against 12.63 lakh hectares last year.
Bihar is the major maize producer, accounting for 32 per cent of the country's total cultivation area, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
But these states have reduced their cultivation area due to crop diversification, TNAU said.
The analysis was made to provide market intelligence to major maize growing districts of Tamil Nadu, considering the prevailing situation, it added.
