As the poultry sector grapples with recurring maize shortages, hybrid maize cultivation is emerging as a promising and scalable solution. The Poultry Federation of India (PFI), in collaboration with over 80 poultry farmers, took a strategic initiative last season to address the feed crisis. The outcome? Over 1,000 acres were brought under maize cultivation, delivering average yields of 39.15 quintals (4 tons) per acre in North India—an eye-opener for the sector that long considered 15–25 quintals per acre the upper limit.
Promising Yields with Practical Challenges
While the yield performance was encouraging, several practical challenges surfaced—especially during harvest. Unseasonal rains resulted in high moisture content (20–22%) in the harvested maize. Without adequate drying or storage infrastructure, a significant portion had to be sold at discounted rates in the open market, fetching only INR 2,020–2,025 per quintal. In contrast, poultry producers typically procure toxin-free, high-quality maize at INR 2,300 per quintal for feed use.
This highlights an urgent need for government or private-public partnership to install drying systems—especially in mandis—to reduce post-harvest losses and prevent toxin formation. Toxin-free maize isn’t just critical for poultry; it’s essential for industries like ethanol production, where the by-products are also used in livestock and poultry feed.
Seed Availability and Cost Remain Barriers
Despite the success, several farmers encountered challenges related to seed availability and cost. While hybrid seed costs (INR 5,000 per acre) are higher than conventional varieties, they are still far more affordable than genetically modified (GM) seeds.
Limited supply of quality hybrid seeds remains a bottleneck. Additionally, many farmers still rely on seed reuse, which severely limits yield potential. There is a clear need for awareness programs and streamlined seed distribution to educate farmers on the long-term benefits of hybrid maize and ensure timely access to quality inputs.
Technology and Integration: The Next Frontier
With improved access to technology, machinery, and agronomic guidance, maize productivity can be pushed even further. The poultry sector should consider moving toward an integrated farming model—directly supporting maize cultivation to ensure feed security and quality.
States like Bihar have already shown that such transformation is possible, reporting average yields of 45–50 quintals per acre due to better farmer awareness and adoption of improved practices. Similar success could be replicated in Punjab, Haryana, and other traditional wheat-rice belts by encouraging crop diversification and providing structured support to maize growers.
Silage: A Profitable By-Product
Interestingly, around 60% of the maize produced under the pilot initiative was converted into silage—highlighting another revenue stream for farmers. In regions like Karnal, farmers are producing high-quality silage that sells with minimal marketing effort. Silage production not only adds value to surplus maize but also meets the growing demand from dairy and livestock sectors.
Although poultry feed manufacturers could not fully utilize this season’s maize due to high moisture and toxin concerns, better post-harvest practices could unlock this market in the future.
The Way Forward
The success of hybrid maize cultivation points toward a scalable solution to the poultry industry’s maize dependency. But to truly realize its potential, coordinated efforts are needed:
- Seed companies must be incentivized to expand production of high-yield hybrid varieties.
- Farmer education and awareness campaigns must focus on modern cultivation and post-harvest practices.
- Poultry integrators must consider investing in the maize supply chain, from seed support to drying infrastructure.
- Policy makers should explore PPP models to establish maize drying and storage facilities in key agricultural hubs.
Hybrid maize has the potential not just to improve farmer incomes but also to build a more resilient and self-reliant feed supply chain. For India’s poultry sector, investing in this upstream solution could secure long-term sustainability and reduce dependence on volatile maize markets.
This first-hand experience from a group of farmers also raises a question for the poultry sector: should we keep waiting for GM seeds—whose effectiveness still needs to be proven—or start building on what we’ve learned from such experiments with hybrid seeds?
By Ranpal Dhanda, President, Poultry Federation of India
