Healthy, sweet corn gets a following

ADILABAD: Sweet corn has become popular with rising awareness among people of even small towns about the nutritious food.

Below middle class parents are taking home the sweet corn, which were popular as maize locally, to feed their children in place of the costly, processed corn flakes which is a staple breakfast in most middle and upper middle class houses.

A roadside vendor Sheik Saleem sells more than 200 sweet corns near district court every day. There are many such roadside vendors, including at Rythu Bazaar selling sweet corn in Adilabad town.

Mr Saleem say that people are showing interest in eating sweet corn unlike in the past due to its sweetness and nutritional value and added that he is selling more than 200 sweet corns every day each for '10. Mr Saleem said he purchases sweet corn in bulk from Battisavergoan village in Adilabad mandal and sells them.

There is a good demand for sweet corn due to less production and few farmers cultivate sweet corn that too only in one or two acres unlike general maize in their agriculture fields.

Makka Garelu is prepared with a paste of ground corn and is a popular snack in Telangana during festivals. Venka-tesh of Adilabad said Makka Kankulu (maize kandies) and upma with maize flour helps in passing of bowels and are also nutritious.