Reaping benefits of maize Ishara Mudugamuwa

Maize, a popular crop all over the world is becoming increasingly popular in both rural and urban population in Sri Lanka due to its multiple uses.

Maize which is also referred as corn is the third largest crop in the world which is used as a food, animal feed and fuel. The USA, China and Brazil produce 64 percent of the world maize production. Though maize is the third largest crop it has become more popular among Sri Lankans recently with the introduction of it as a raw material for bio-fuel.

With the introduction of maize as a raw material for bio-fuel those maize producing countries use a considerable part of their production to produce ethanol as a bio-fuel. Specially USA uses one fifth of its maize production on this.

As the demand for this crop increased in the world market, maize prices have increased during the past few years. The maize production in Sri Lanka has also increased rapidly during the past two to three years. Both the Government and private sector encourage farmers to grow maize.

According to statistics of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute, Sri Lanka is producing 50 percent of the local demand. It is expected that production within the next two years will be increased to 100 percent.

Maize is consumed mostly by rural people in Sri Lanka. Maize flour-based pittu, roti and other foods are popular. Maize has come into prominence in Sri Lanka as an important animal feed supplement with rapid expansion of maize based animal husbandry sector specially poultry sector, during this decade.

The consumption of maize based food items like Thriposha, Samaposha, pop corns and boiled maize cobs has increased during the past few years. Therefore, the local annual maize requirement has subsequently increased to 200,000 metric tons.

Local food and animal feed manufacturing companies tend to fulfill their requirement through locally cultivated maize, Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute Research Officers Duminda Priyadarshana and Nalaka Wijesooriya said. Maize based products such as corn flakes, corn oil, corn starch are popular in urban areas and most products are imported to Sri Lanka.

According to the researchers maize is rich with vitamin A,B,E and minerals such as phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc and copper. High fibre content in them helps solve digestive problems.

Corn is also a rich source of calories and forms part of the staple diet of many around the world. Corn’s calorific content is 342 calories per 100 grams, which is among the highest in cereals.

The antioxidants in corn helps prevent from cancers.

According to researches of the Mahailuppallama Field Crop Research and Development Institute, there is a high demand for hybrid seeds among farmers as the quality is high and can yield bumper harvest. So the researchers pay attention to produce hybrid seeds. They have introduced ‘Sampath,’ hybrid seed variety in 2004 by using genetic resources of Mexico. Though ‘Sampath’ seeds are produced in Government and private farms the production does not meet the demand.

So private sector companies import hybrid seeds. The Mahailuppallama Field Crop Research and Development Institute does number of researches to provide high quality seeds to farmers to reap an enhanced harvest.