The study made an attempt to analyze the price behaviour of maize crop in the selected markets of major maize growing states of India. Recent trends, year to year variability and seasonal variability in maize prices for the period of thirteen years (2002 to 2014) were analyzed. The trend analysis showed that farm harvest prices and wholesale prices of maize showed increasing trend in majority of markets from 2005 to 2013. The seasonal indices calculated showed that generally the maize prices were low in post-harvest period from October to January, high in pre-harvest period from June to August and moderate in the remaining months in all the markets. By comparing the growth rates of farm harvest prices in different markets, the study found that Mazaffarpur market recorded the highest growth rate and least growth rate was registered by Hoshiarpur market. In case of wholesale prices, maximum growth was again recorded by Mazaffarpur market and Jhabua market recorded the least growth rate. Instability analysis showed that farm Harvest prices in Dohad market and wholesale prices in Mazaffarpur market were most unstable, whereas farm harvest prices in Kanpur market and wholesale prices in Dohad market were least unstable. The study suggested that efforts should be taken to increase the maize productivity and establishment of market infrastructural facilities such as warehousing, transportation, processing etc. to minimize the price volatility of maize crop.
Maize, Price Behaviour, price instability, Trend Analysis, Seasonal Index, Growth rates
