Maize is primarily cultivated in Nashik, Aurangabad, Pune and Solapur on nearly 8 lakh hectare across the state. In India, maize is the third most important food crops after rice and wheat. According to advance estimate its production is likely to be 24.51 MMT (2020-2021) mainly during Kharif season which covers 80% area. Maize in India, contributes nearly 9 % in the national food basket. In addition to staple food for human being and quality feed for animals, maize serves as a basic raw material as an ingredient to thousands of industrial products that includes starch, oil, protein, alcoholic beverages, food sweeteners, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, film, textile, gum, package and paper industries etc. The different varieties which are grown in Maharashtra are as follows.