According to a report published during the 12th India Maize Summit 2026 in New Delhi, India's domestic maize demand will increase to about 72 million metric tonnes (MT) by the 2030-31 date due to a greater quantity of ethanol usage, greater quantities of animal feed, and higher amounts of industrial uses of maize.

The report was issued by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and YES Bank and is entitled, "Maize Sector in India: Navigating the Transformation in the Demand and Supply Dynamics." The report further predicts that maize production will reach around 50 million MT by 2025-26, which is an increase of 22.57 million MT from 2015-16.

Maize, now the third-largest food grain produced in India behind wheat and rice, has experienced substantial increases in area cultivated, production, and productivity over the last ten years, according to the report. 

Bhagirath Choudhary commented on the summit that the increase in maize production is attributable to improved yields rather than an increase in the amount of land used to grow maize. He also stated that maize requires less irrigation than either rice or wheat.

According to the report, approximately 93% of the country’s corn grows for industrial and feed purposes. The principal use of all domestically grown corn is in animal feed, which comprises nearly one-half (54%). Other major uses of corn are ethanol production (25%) and the starch industry (14%), while food and other uses account for the remainder.

The report also addressed many of the challenges facing the corn industry, which include: productivity gaps, risks related to climate change, post-harvest losses, storage limitations, and aflatoxin contamination.

Additionally, the report provides suggestions to improve the corn industry. These suggestions include: increasing the use of high-yield variety seeds; increasing storage and drying infrastructures; developing more rigorous quality support systems; and improving supply chain management practices.