India govt likely not to import maize. The farm ministry was not in favour of allowing import of duty-free maize under the tariff-rate quota as imports would depress prices. The ministry argued that the country has a comfortable stock of kharif maize crop. The government has pegged this year’s kharif maize output at 21.47 mln tn compared with 20.24 mln tn produced last year. However, traders expect the maize crop for 2018-19 (Jul-Jun) to be much smaller on year as sowing in key producing states have sharply declined due to water stress.