India’s Godrej Agrovet Limited has officially rolled out Ashitaka (Tolpyralate 40% SC)—the country’s first herbicide tailored exclusively for corn—in a strategic partnership with Japan’s ISK (Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha). This innovative product aims to tackle a long-standing pain point for Indian maize growers: the devastating threat of grass and broadleaf weeds that cripple crop yields, especially in the early stages of corn growth.
As India’s maize planting area expands steadily, timing emerges as a critical factor for effective weed control. Field data confirms that applying Ashitaka precisely during the 2-4 leaf stage of weeds delivers robust results, offering a targeted solution to a problem that has long plagued smallholder and commercial farmers alike.
Maize: India’s Must-Have Crop for Agricultural Diversification
For decades, India’s agriculture sector has leaned heavily on two staple crops—rice and wheat—to safeguard food security, sustain farmer livelihoods, and prop up the government’s public procurement system. But this grain-centric model is now teetering: groundwater reserves are depleting at an alarming rate, monsoon patterns have grown erratic, and mounting food surpluses are straining public distribution networks.
In this crisis, agricultural diversification has shifted from an “option” to a “necessity”—and maize has re-emerged as a strategic crop to drive this transition. Its value far outstrips that of ordinary cereals:
- As a core feedstock, it fuels India’s booming poultry farming industry;
- In manufacturing, it serves as a key raw material for starch, ethanol, processed foods, and brewing;
- Globally, India ranks 4th in maize cultivation area and 5th in annual production.
Yet a stark gap persists: India’s average maize yield hovers around 3 tons per hectare—less than a third of the U.S. yield and significantly below China’s. This inefficiency carries national ramifications: domestic demand for maize is projected to hit 51.3 million tons, but current production stands at just 34.25 million tons. The massive supply-demand shortfall is already pushing up import needs, and under existing tariff policies, this will drive corn prices even higher.With the Indian government accelerating its ethanol blending program and boosting animal husbandry, the urgency to ramp up maize production has never been greater.
Seasonal Yield Gaps Expose Unrealized Potential
India’s maize output is deeply divided by seasons—and the disparities are striking. Roughly 70% of the country’s maize is grown during the rainy season, yet yields in this period are the lowest: a mere 2.9 tons per hectare. By contrast, dry-season maize yields reach 5 tons per hectare, while summer crops hit around 4.4 tons.
These gaps aren’t just numbers—they reveal a massive waste of maize’s production potential, and highlight how technological innovation could transform food security and farmer incomes. Among the most overlooked culprits? Weeds.
In maize’s early growth phase, weeds compete fiercely for soil nutrients, water, and sunlight. Poor weed management can slash yields by up to 70%. Traditional solutions—manual weeding or generic herbicides—fall short: manual labor is backbreaking and inconsistent, while off-the-shelf herbicides place a heavy economic burden on smallholder farmers. Weed control, in short, has become a hidden barrier to India’s maize industry growth.
Ashitaka: Redefining Weed Management for Corn
Policy debates around India’s maize sector often focus on big-picture issues: seed policies, procurement incentives, or ethanol blending targets. These are critical—but they mean little if maize crops are decimated by weeds in their early stages. No matter how high-yielding the seed, how advanced the irrigation, or how favorable the market price, weeds can erase gains entirely.
Weed management, therefore, is not just an agronomic detail—it’s a cornerstone of national agricultural productivity. It’s this insight that drove Godrej Agrovet and ISK Japan to develop Ashitaka, a next-generation HPPD herbicide built for corn.
When applied during maize’s 2-4 leaf stage, Ashitaka delivers broad-spectrum control of both grass and broadleaf weeds—while ensuring complete crop safety. By targeting weeds early, it lets corn plants establish strong root systems, retain soil moisture, and optimize nutrient absorption. For smallholder farmers, this turns maize into a more reliable crop; for industries dependent on corn (feed, ethanol, food processing), it guarantees a steadier raw material supply. In turn, Ashitaka provides critical support for India’s agricultural diversification goals.
Before application: Maize fields show heavy weed infestation, with weeds outcompeting young corn plants for resources.
Two weeks after application:
Treatment group (Ashitaka): Weeds are drastically reduced, and corn plants grow vigorously with healthy foliage.
Control group (no treatment): Weeds continue to dominate, stunting corn growth and reducing stand density.
Aligned with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles
Ashitaka’s value extends beyond weed control—it fits seamlessly into India’s push for Integrated Pest Management (IPM), an approach that combines multiple strategies to protect crops sustainably. Effective maize protection, experts say, requires coordination:
- High-quality hybrid seeds boost genetic resistance;
- Crop rotation and other cultivation techniques lower disease risks;
- Timely chemical interventions address sudden threats.
Ashitaka fills a key gap in this system by tackling weed infestation—a high-impact issue long ignored. Without robust weed control, other IPM measures lose their effectiveness: even the best seeds or irrigation systems can’t overcome weed competition.
Building a Future-Ready Crop Protection Ecosystem
Ashitaka’s launch marks a major milestone in Godrej Agrovet’s crop protection business upgrade. The company says it is expanding its product portfolio to cover India’s diverse planting seasons, with a robust pipeline that blends global technology imports and in-house R&D. This “dual-drive” model ensures Indian farmers get solutions that are both world-class and tailored to local conditions.
Already a market leader in cotton herbicides, Godrej Agrovet has set a bold target: launching at least one new crop protection product annually. Its pipeline includes rice pesticides currently in development, and the company is also exploring biological control solutions—such as pheromones—to promote sustainable farming.
To deepen ties with farmers, Godrej Agrovet is leveraging digital tools: its “Hello Godrej” farmer service platform, drone technology pilots, and other digital initiatives are connecting the company directly to end users. By combining innovation, strategic partnerships, and farmer-centric outreach, Godrej Agrovet aims to position itself as a long-term partner in India’s agricultural modernization.
India’s Maize Industry Enters a New Era
The transformation of India’s maize sector is no longer just an agricultural issue—it’s a cross-cutting challenge involving policy, economics, and sustainability. As the government pushes ethanol blending, improves nutrition security, and builds a resilient rural economy, maize’s strategic role grows clearer: it’s one of the few crops that can meet demand for food, feed, and industrial raw materials simultaneously.
Unlocking maize’s full potential, however, requires systemic upgrades across the entire value chain: better seeds, improved irrigation, and advanced pest (including weed) control. India’s agricultural future, experts argue, can’t rely solely on boosting rice and wheat yields. The next wave of growth must come from diversified crop systems—led by maize.
Maize, once a relatively low-yield crop in India, has the potential to become a pillar of the country’s agricultural economy—if key technical hurdles like weed management are addressed. The future of Indian agriculture, in short, will not be defined by traditional cereals alone, but by how effectively it cultivates and leverages strategic crops like maize.
