Tiruchy: Farmers in Tiruchy have brought far more land under maize, pulses, oilseeds and sorghum this season, driven by higher yields and improved market prices. While paddy has been grown on about 75,000 acres during the current samba season, the area under cash crops has increased to 1.13 lakh acres. Of this, maize alone accounts for 49,700 acres, reports The New Indian Express.
Agriculture department officials said maize, being a short-duration crop, offers quick and good returns, especially in areas with limited irrigation. Data shared by the department shows maize was cultivated in 51,769 acres in 2023–24, against a target of 27,911 acres. In 2024–25, the crop covered 54,076 acres compared to the target of 35,333 acres.
This year, cultivation has already touched 49,700 acres, and officials expect it to reach 60,000 acres by the end of 2025. Farmers in rainfed regions such as Manapparai, Vaiyampatti, Musiri, T Pettai, Thottiyam, Thuraiyur, Uppiliapuram, Manachanallur and Pullambadi largely grow maize and sorghum, along with oilseeds like sunflower, gingelly and groundnut, and pulses such as black gram and red gram.
So far, Tiruchy district has brought 48,691 acres under sorghum, 4,009 acres under pulses and 11,098 acres under oilseeds. A farmer from Pullambadi, P. Kanagaraj, said good rainfall encouraged him to cultivate maize on around five acres. He said they received ₹27 per kg last year, which was ₹5 more than the price in 2023, and added that the army worm infestation that caused heavy losses last year has not resurfaced this season.
Another official, Assistant Director of Agriculture R. Sugumar, said higher yields due to favourable rain and better returns have encouraged more farmers to take up maize. He said maize is now widely used for ethanol production and poultry feed, prompting many farmers to switch from cotton to maize.
The agriculture department is also promoting maize by offering seeds and other inputs at subsidised rates under the National Agriculture Development Programme (NADP). For 2025–26, Tiruchy district has been given a target of 5,000 acres for ‘Maize Demonstration Plots’ under the NADP.
