Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...

AN OVERVIEW OF MAIZE RESEARCH AN) PmOOCTION IN NEPAL
M. M. Pal i khe 11
Maize is the most important cereal crop in Nepal. It is the principal staple cereal diet in
the of over 55% of the people who live in the hilly regions. Based on the total cultivated area
and production, maize ranks first in the hills and second after rice in the tarai. Maize
occupies about28.5% of the total cultivated area of Nepal, or approximately 757,700 ha, with a
national average yield of 1,625 kg/ha (DFAMS, ASD, 1991). It is grown throughout the country
both as monocrop and intercropped with finger millet, soybean, etc.
Of the total area under maize, 58,550 ha (7.73%) are grown in the high hills with an
average production of 1,497 kg/ha; 537,320 ha (70.91%) are planted in the mid-hills with an
average production of 1,569 kg/ha and 161,830 ha (21.36%) in the tarai with a mean of 1,765 kg/ha
(DFAMS, Agric. Stat. Div., 1991).
In 1991/92, the total area planted to maize and total production increased by approximately
59 and 64% respectively compared to 1981/82 (Table 1).
Table 1.
Year
Maize area, production, and average yield in Nepal.
Area Production Average yield
('000 hal ('000 t) (kg/ha)
1981/82
1982/83
1983/84
1984/85
1985/86
1986/87
1987/88
1988/89
1989/90
1990/91
475.5 751.5 1581
510.8 718.2 1405
503.8 761.1 1511
578.7 819.9 1417
614.7 873.8 1421
626.7 868.4 1366
673.8 901.5 1338
721.9 1071.6 1484
751.2 1201.0 1599
757.7 1230.9 1625
The low yields and slow increases in yield observed throughout may be attributed to unpredictable
monsoon rains, poor soil fertility in the hills due to soil erosion, drought during the
growing period, excessive rain delaying weeding, no practice of controlling insects and diseases,
slow dissemination of improved varieties, unwillingness to use fertilizer, and low purchasing
power of the hill people.
In the hills, over 90% of the maize produced is consumed as roti (flat bread), dhido (thick
porridge), chyakha7a (grits cooked like rice), roasted popped maize kernels, and as roasted green
ears. The demand for maize as a major raw material for animal feed has increased.
Nepalese farmers prefer maize varieties with hard-flint kernels. The kernel color preference
varies from white flints in the West and East to yellow flints in the central regions. The
feed industry prefers yellow maize. Farmers prefer early maturing varieties with tight husk
!J Coordinator-Maize. Maize Res. Program. Rampur Agric. Stat. P.O. Rampur, Narayan; Zone.
Chitwan, Nepal.
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