Maize in Pakistan – An Overview

Abstract

The alarming population growth rate in Pakistan has exacerbated the food security problem. The increase in the human population (3%) in the last two decades has nullified increased cereal production. The use of maize in the feed and wet milling industry is growing at a much larger pace than
anticipated. Maize is being grown on an area of 1.016 million hectares with annual production of 3.037 million tons and an average grain yield of 2,864 kg/ha. Approximately 66% of the maize in Pakistan has access to irrigation; the remainder is farmed under strictly rain-fed conditions. Maize production in Pakistan has increased from 0.38 million tons during 1947-50 to 3.037 million tons in 2007. The trend is likely to continue at a much faster pace in the years to come. The adoption/cultivation of spring maize has increased, especially since the active involvement of multinationals in Pakistan. Today spring maize accounts for 12-15% of the total area and almost 30-35% of the total annual production. An annual increase of 20-25% in the maize area during spring has been observed, which is mainly because of very good yield levels (6-7 tons/ha). Spring maize is one of the success stories in Pakistani agriculture. Seed has been, and still is, the most important limiting factor in maize production in Pakistan. Only 34%
improved seed is available. The markets are not stable and have uncertainty due to the lack of drying and grain storage facilities. The use of maize grain in poultry feed is on the increase in Punjab province up from 23% in 2001 to 55% in 2007.