Rice-maize cropping system for more productivity and profitability
Technology Profile
Rice–maize (R–M) systems are rapidly expanding in South Asia, India, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh due to higher yield and profit potential from rabi (winter) maize, its reduced water requirement compared to rice–rice systems, and increasing demand from poultry and fish feed industries.
Context
Need – Increase productivity and more profitability
Existing practices- Majority of the rice farmers practice rice–rice, rice-pulse, rice-oilseed cultivation which consumes more water and less profitable
Potential losses: Crop roductivity loss upto 31.4% and gross profit upto ₹ 18638 / ha
Areas: In majority of the rice growing areas in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Empirical Evidences
Demonstration yields and incomes
System productivity increased by 30% and net profit of ₹ 10000 / ha
| Cropping System | REY (t/ha) | Gross return (₹/ha) |
|---|---|---|
| Rice-rice | 7.8 | 45,124 |
| Rice-wheat | 8.4 | 48,882 |
| Rice-maize | 10.2 | 59,110 |
| Rice-pulse | 8.5 | 49,152 |
| Rice-Oilseed | 7.0 | 40,472 |
Practical utility/Scalability
- Rice-maize area can be expanded upto 0.53 mha in India
- Net profitability can be increased to 530 crore for 0.53 mha (₹ 10000 / ha)
- Already the system is followed in 0.53 mha in India and some patches of rice-rice (4.7 mha), rice-rice-rice (0.04 mha), rice-wheat (9.2 mha)and rice-pulses (3.5 mha) area can be diversified to rice-maize system
