Madhya Pradesh: Farmers in Indore division shift to pulses & maize cultivation due to favourable weather

 Farmers in Indore division are increasingly turning to pulses and maize this rabi season, thanks to early rains and favourable weather conditions. Indore region has witnessed an expansion in the area dedicated to these crops, with pulses, particularly chana, peas and red lentils, seeing a significant rise in cultivation.

According to the farm department, the area under pulses in the division is projected to reach approximately 4,11,000 hectare, a noticeable increase from last year’s 3,83,000 hectare. “The expansion in maize and pulses acreage shows growing preference of farmers in the region for these crops. Weather conditions are also suitable and rains in the past months resulted in adequate soil moisture,” said an official.

In addition to pulses, maize cultivation is experiencing a remarkable surge. The acreage under maize is expected to hit 2 lakh hectare, marking an impressive increase of over 50% compared to the previous season. “I have increased the area under maize this season because the market is positive for maize. I am hoping to get good remuneration from maize because overall crop growth is good,” said Lakhan Patel, a farmer from Sanwer.

Wheat, chana, and peas continue to be the major winter-sown crops in the division. However, the significant rise in maize acreage indicates a strategic shift by farmers towards crops that promise better returns. The overall acreage under rabi crops in the division is estimated to touch over 1.7 million hectare as against 1.68 million hectare in the last season.

This article has been republished from The Times of India.