India, Oct. 22 -- When US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick remarked recently that a country of 1.4 billion people "does not buy even a bushel of corn from America," it triggered a wave of commentary across trade and policy circles. His words, both pointed and revealing, reinforced how agricultural commodities have become instruments of global diplomacy. Yet behind the noise lies a more compelling story. India's maize sector stands at a turning point. As demand rises rapidly and production growth slows, the world's fifth-largest producer of maize needs a coherent, long-term strategy to ensure food security, economic stability and new opportunities for farmers.

Maize today is much more than a cereal. It is a key input for India's poultry ...