Shankar, traditionally a paddy grower of Vadnalli village in Karnataka’s Davangere district, shifted to maize this kharif season on his five-acre land. Reason: water scarcity. But the switch didn’t bring him any respite as maize prices dropped due to a surge in output and slack demand from the poultry industry and starch-makers. The modal prices for maize now range between ₹900 and ₹1,300 a quintal across various markets in Karnataka, the largest producer of the grain during kharif season. In Davangere, the terminal market for the coarse cereal, the modal prices were around ₹1,200 way below the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹1,425/quintal .