Yellow Corn

Indian Yellow Corn (Maize), is of American origin, and after wheat and rice, it is the most important cereal grain in the world. Yellow Corn provides nutrition to both, humans (33.3%) and animals (66.6 %). The Yellow Corn serves as basic raw material for the production of starch, oil & protein, alcoholic beverages, food sweeteners, and more recently fuel. Special crops grown primarily for food include sweet corn and popcorn, although dent, starchy or floury and flint maize are also widely used as food. Flint maize is also used as feed. Immature ordinary Yellow Corn on the cob, either boiled or roasted is widely consumed. Factors Influencing Yellow Corn Markets

• Role of weather in crop production is immense. Temperature, rainfall and soil moisture are the important parameters that determine the crop condition. Further, natural calamities, like typhoon, floods, droughts and earthquake can also affect crops. Markets keep watch of these developments.
• Changes in the minimum support prices (MSP) by the government also have immense impact on the prices of the commodity.
• Availability of substitute products at cheaper rate may lead to weakness in demand. This situation happens especially when the main products price tends to become higher. For e.g., jowar/ bajra may be preferred by poultry feed manufacturers instead of maize, if its prices are high.
• Seasonal cycles are present in agriculture crops, particularly in short duration annual crops. Price tends to be lower as harvesting progresses and produce starts coming into the market. At the time of sowing and before harvesting price tends to rise in view of tight supply situation.
• Breakthrough in the technology may increase the productivity and would lead to more supply. This may bring some softness in the price.