Maize is one of the most important cereal crops of the world and contributes to food security in most of the developing countries. In India, maize is emerging as third most important crop after rice and wheat. The importance is only set to rise as it is now increasingly used in industry — corn starch industry, corn oil production, and bio-fuels etc., above and beyond its traditional uses as food, and cattle and poultry feed.

Maize is largely a kharif crop, with 85% of the area cultivated during this season. India produces around 30 – 34 million MT maize annually, and the majority of it is produced in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh / Telangana, Rajasthan, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh (mentioned here in no particular order).

While India is more or less self-sufficient in this commodity, even producing enough to export in most years, it has had to import in years of severe drought, which has happened twice in the previous two decades. PEC had the most important role to play during both these phases, being that maize attracts 50% duty on imports, and imports at zero duty under the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) are allowed only through state-trading enterprises (STE’s).

Specifications

Moisture 14.0 PCT
Broken Grains 4.0 PCT
Foreign Matter 1.0 PCT
Heat Damaged Kernel 0.2 PCT
Damaged Kernel 5.0 PCT
Maize (Non-GMO) of other colors than yellow 5.0 PCT
Organoleptic Natural