How sweet corn cultivation has taken root in Maharashtra, allowing farmers to reap better benefits

Bhise, who heads the tomato growers’ association in Junnar, said sweet corn is now becoming a major alternative to vegetables and even to cane for farmers in the area. “Every thing depends on how much we earn. At present, sweet corn is the best thing available for us,” said the farmer who now cultivates only sweet corn across his four-acre land.

Grilled sweet corn is a popular snack in Pune and across India during the monsoon. From small roadside vendors who freshly roast it over coal fire to bigger outlets that use it in soup or as part of other elaborate dishes, sweet corn has now become almost a staple in many parts of the country. This has eased the switch for farmers like Bhise.

Sweet corn (Zea mays) is a type of maize which is mainly used for human consumption. Maharashtra grows around 8-10 lakh hectares of maize a year. Ground maize is mostly used for starch and in animal feed industries, while sweet corn is used for human consumption. It is estimated that around 20,000-25,000 hectares come under sweet corn cultivation annually.

The crop is mainly grown in Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara, with traders even signing deals with farmers for export. The crop gets ready in around 90 days, with the deals inked right at the growth stage.

Like Bhise, Varun Neharkar from Yedgaon also switched to cultivating sweet corn in a bid to earn more. Neharkar, who used to grow vegetables like beans and okra over five acres of holding, is now focused on cultivating sweet corn alone over the last two years. “The crop was new. We had not seen it much in our area but when we saw the earning and its benefits, I decided to go for sweet corn,” he said.

It has also led to other benefits for him. Earlier, Neharkar would go to the vegetable market in Mumbai but now traders come directly to his field. “Overall, the popularity of the crop is on the rise,” he said.