Comparative Economic Analysis of Maize Cultivation Practices in Sub-Mountainous Punjab and Himachal Pradesh

To understand regional differences in maize production, a comparative survey was conducted in adjoining areas of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh (H.P.). The primary data were collected from farmers in the districts of Ropar, Bilaspur, Una and Solan districts. In terms of variety selection, the most popular hybrids among farmers were Dekalb 9144 in Punjab and HiShell in H.P.. Among the cultivated varieties, Dekalb 9144 recorded the highest yield in both states, with 20.4 q/acre in Punjab and 18.8 q/acre in H.P. In both the states date of sowing did not show any significant effect on the yield in either state, although a large proportion of farmers preferred sowing later than the recommended date. Seed rate significantly influenced yield, but the yields at the recommended and higher-than-recommended seed rates were statistically similar in both states. Sowing method also affected productivity, with drill-sown maize achieving the highest yields–19.7 q/acre in Punjab and 17.0 q/acre in H.P. In Punjab, the number of irrigations rangedfrom 2 to 4, with most farmers applying three irrigations, whereas in H.P. it rangedfrom 0 to 2, with a large share of farmers cultivating maize under rainfed conditions. Overall economic analysis revealed that Punjab farmers attain better benefit cost ratio (2.07), as compared to H.P. (1.75). Based on these findings, there is a need to encourage timely sowing, promote drill- sowing methods, and strengthen extension support to optimize seed rates and irrigation practices to enhance maize productivity across both states.