Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government is advocating corn farmers to try growing popcorn corn, because they could make more money. This is happening because the market for popcorn is expected to grow a lot, reaching $662 million by 2033, reported Business Standard.
The state also wants to double the amount of regular corn grown by 2027. They plan to do this by planting more corn and getting more corn from each field.
People like traditional popcorn, small corn, and sweet corn in places where many tourists visit. So, the government is helping farmers grow these kinds of corn. They are giving farmers money and teaching them how to do it. Popcorn corn grows faster than regular corn, so farmers can harvest it in 60 days instead of 80 to 120 days. This means they can make money faster.
“We are telling farmers to choose the best kinds of corn for their area, so they can grow a lot and make more money,” a government official said.
Corn is used in many ways, like making flour, small corn, popcorn, and it’s in many soups and prepared foods. Because more people want these things, farmers have a good chance to make more money.
Besides food, corn is used in many industries, like making fuel from grain, feeding animals, making medicines, makeup, clothes, paper, and alcohol.
The state has also started a special plan to help corn farming grow quickly.
Right now, farmers in Uttar Pradesh grow corn on 830,000 hectares of land, and they produce 2.116 million tonnes of corn each year. Corn is the third most important crop in the state, after wheat and rice.
Currently, Tamil Nadu grows the most corn per field, with 59.39 quintals per hectare. The average for the whole country is 26 quintals. In Uttar Pradesh, farmers grew 21.63 quintals per hectare in 2021-22, which means they could grow a lot more.
