Socio-economic characteristics of maize growers in Telangana State

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a key cereal crop in Telangana, valued for its use as food, feed, fodder, and industrial raw material. This study examines the socioeconomic factors influencing maize farming in Telangana, based on survey data from 120 maize farmers, most farmers were middle-aged (40-53 years), had primary education (36.67%), and belonged to small families (2-4 members) (2). The coefficient of variation for bullock pairs was high at 89.84%, with an average of 0.66 pairs and a standard deviation of 0.59. Agriculture was the main occupation for 92.50% of farmers, followed by trading at 6.67%. The cropping intensity among maize growers was 162.18% (6).