Future Prospects of Maize in Kashmir Viz-A-Viz Climate Change

The future of maize in Kashmir is inextricably linked with the poultry sector and if recent trends in poultry and egg production are sustained, growth in demand for maize is likely to outpace gains in domestic production. Feed for poultry is imported from other states as people are meat eaters. To feed one crore poultry birds, consumed in the valley annually, 29700 tones of feed ration costing Rs 80.19 crores is required that will require 16335 tones of maize for most of the energy in the feed ration for broilers which contain 50–55 per cent maize. At present, Kashmir is producing 102.5 thousand tones maize from an area of 102.07 thousand hectares with 85% area under rainfed ecology and 15% under irrigated vegetable fields as a mixed crop with pulses and some creepers for green cobs. Approximately, seven to eight million tons of maize is needed each year just for poultry feed. This represents over 50 per cent of India's total production of maize. In many parts of India, the supply of maize for use in poultry feed is becoming a problem. Therefore poultry sector of Kashmir offers a tremendous scope for maize industry as 80 % of maize produced by Gujjars and Bakarwals is utilized for their domestic needs leaving little for poultry sector. In Kashmir valley, at present 139.9 thousand hectares are under paddy cultivation. However since 1999 due to climatic changes resulting in low precipitation and melting of glaciers, about 30% of this area (41.97 thousand hectares) being at the tale end of the water source does not receive water after transplanting rice seedlings resulting in to crop failure. This area if shifted towards hybrid maize cultivation would provide a solution to all problems not only by improving the economic status of these farmers but also provide 336 thousand tons of corn for its use in poultry and tourist industry as technologies are available that will ensure productivity of 8 tones/ha.