One of the major producers of corn is the United States
of America. With over 95, million acres reserved for the production, the annual
output is impressive. America alone produces over 332 million metric tons of
the food crops.
Asia, India and
Africa also produce different verity of corn. It does not matter what the crop
is called corn and maize are the same plant.
Around the world the food crop has a high economic value and
provides lots of job opportunities. Maze crop is highly nutritious and cheaper
than several food types. The crop has lots of food and beverage applications
use for cooking and industry.
It is also an important ingredient in livestock feed,
aquaculture and production lines. Any entrepreneur looking to cash in on this
dynamic crop stands to make lots of money.
 |
| pixabay.com |
Historical
Data
This local staple is common to countries like India,
Canada and Australia and was spread by immigrant
settlers across Mexico and American boarder. The plant is believed to have been
domesticated in the valleys of Mexico and cultivated by the Olmec and Mayan
people.
It was introduced into Africa by the Portuguese in the 16th
century.
Economic
Value of the Crop
Maize is a tasty staple in most countries and is used in
many cuisines. Maize is used for porridge,
pap and a raw material in animal feed. Over 55% of maize produced are used for Animal
feed production.
The amazing crop is also used to produce ethanol in USA
including exports. Other applications are diary, hogs, beef cattle and poultry
feeds.
You find corn in beverage alcohol, cereal sweeteners and
starch. This is good news for corn farmers providing various outlets for their
product.
You can grind maize into flour or consumed through
boiling or roasting . The food crop contains lots of protein including vitamin
E, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
it has many fibers that aid digestion and free bowel
movement , energy and carbohydrates.
Domesticated
Maize
Maize is a single domesticated stalk plant with multiple
leaves. It generally has 20 inter-nodes and stands 10ft-12ft high. They are
female inflorescence with several layers of husks.
Maize is hardy and survives in different climates and
comes in various colors like yellow, purple, blackish and bluish grey. Sweet corn is a genetic variant that contains
less starch.
The plant takes about 4 months from seeding to
harvesting. The many applications and durability of the plant makes it
economically viable and important. As an entrepreneur you can plant corn for
domestic use or export purposes.
Types
of Corn
There are many types of corn used for food in the
zea-mays family. We have the sweet corn, flint corn, waxy and pod. Others are
flour corn, dent, popcorn and amyl maize.
How
to Start your Maize Production Business
The scope of your production is based on the land size,
geographical location. Others things that impact on production are seed type
and funding.
Others are availability of fertilizer, soil, pesticide
including farmers knowledge of the plant. The crop grows easily in ideal
conditions and has good value. Entrepreneurs looking to start their maize farm
need to consider a few things.
Landed
Property
Landed property suitable for corn farming is the most
important aspect the business venture. The farm land should have a flat
topography, rich loamy soil and devoid of flooding.
For maximum gain select high productive grains for better
yields. Maize thrives in different atmospheric conditions from hot and dry, wet
and cold.
Farmers plant
maize in rows which allows proper utilization of the land and planting of other
crops. Farmers plant crops between rows for effective land management.
Some farming techniques used by maize farmers are crop
rotation, use of fertilizer and herbicides to remove weeds. They also try to
plant just before the rains come for better results.
Select
the Right Species
There are so many varieties of corn seedlings available
to farmers. The type of corn determines on your niche market. Other determinants are your geographical
location, soil type and customer base.
Some corn variations do well in certain climates. Get
impute from your cambers of commerce on domestic production or export.
People in different locations have favorite species they
prefer based on local dishes and application. Most corn used by famers a hybrid
species genetically engineered for fast growth and bountiful yields. Making
some species so hardy they can service hash conditions like draught or wet
lands.
Some maize verity mature early while are late bloomers.
Early bloomers are best suited for areas with low rainfall or short rainy
season.
They also have different provisions for growth and
development. Developed countries use advanced water irrigation systems to
ensure adequate water for the maize.
To get ahead choose healthy seedlings and source them
from agricultural research institutes or local seed farmers.
The top six maize producers are united states, China, Brazil,
Ukraine Argentina and India.
Diseases
and Pests
Corn is prone to many diseases caused by fungal disease,
leaf blight and streak virus. Other diseases prevalent in maize are stalk rot,
ear rot, rust, Goss’s wilt and grey leaf spot.
Pests that cause serious damage to crops are Armyworm,
corn Delphacid, leaf aphid and rootworm. Other pests are maize weevil, stalk
borer, corn borer and rootworm
Harvesting
The type of farming, seedling and climatic factors
dictate the amount of maize harvested on your farm. Other things that mitigate
in the final outcome are sunlight, pest control and effective weeding.
The major expenditure in maize farming are landed
property, machinery or labor costs.
Related Reading How to Start a Potato Chip Business
Related Reading How to Start a Potato Chip Business
0 comments:
Post a Comment