With maize prices falling by one-third below the minimum support price, farmers in Telangana seek intervention from the State Government. They want the government to open purchase centres to procure the produce at the MSP level to bail them out.
Trade analysts said that maize prices have turned soft globally because of large production projections in the US and Brazil, resulting in increased domestic availability. Farmers allege that prices of the commodity fell to ₹1,600-1,800 per quintal in most markets, against the MSP of ₹2,400. This, they argue, would push them to losses.
A group of farmers held protests at Khammam, one of the biggest maize-growing areas in the State, demanding the government to establish procurement centres to procure the commodity.
“The government should set up a procurement centre in every village to help the farmers clear the stocks. It should also lift the procurement limit of 26 quintals an acre,” Bonthu Rambabu, Secretary of Telangana Rythu Sangham in Khammam, told businessline.
In a letter to Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao asked the Union Government to include maize in the Price Support Scheme and purchase the produce from farmers in the State.
He wanted the Centre to provide an assistance of ₹4,000 crore to the State to purchase at least 50 per cent of the output (about 15 lakh tonnes).
Stating that the average price stood at ₹1,759 per quintal, which is ₹641 below the MSP for the commodity, he said this could leave farmers incurring huge losses. Reminding him that the State purchased 3.76 lakh tonnes last year by spending ₹900 crore, Rao said that this year’s output was higher than last year’s.
Meanwhile, “Export challenges to West Asia may lead to higher domestic availability, indirectly supporting local maize prices in the near term,” according to the latest assessment by the Marketing Intelligence Department of Prof. Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University.
The rabi maize acreage in the country went up to about 29.16 lakh hectares this year as against last year’s 27.80 lakh hectares. According to the second nd Advance Estimates for 2025–26,
India’s maize production is projected at 461.49 lakh tonnes, with Madhya Pradesh leading with 99.17 lakh tonnes, followed by Karnataka with 63.51 lakh tonnes, Maharashtra (57.25 lakh tonnes), Bihar (45.77 lakh tonnes), and Telangana with 42.24 lakh tonnes).
During the rabi season, Telangana recorded a record acreage of 4.99 lakh hectares, up from 3.38 lakh hectares, the PJTAU report said.
“Strong demand from the feed, starch, and ethanol sectors continues to support the market despite rising rabi arrivals and short-term volatility. Domestic consumption from poultry, livestock, and ethanol industries is steadily increasing, with buyers adopting cautious and tactical procurement strategies,” it said in its latest report for April 2026.
“Higher input costs are likely to impact upcoming kharif sowing economics, keeping market sentiment firm even as the government works to stabilise supplies,” it said.
It estimated that maize could trade in a price range of ₹1,850—2,200 quintal during this month.
Published on April 17, 2026