Maize was sown over 25,000 hectare in Karnataka, more than thrice the 7,000 hectare sown in the year-ago period. Karnataka is one of the largest kharif maize producing states in the country. Farmers in Tamil Nadu planted maize over 1,000 hectare, unchanged from previous year. Maize sowing is likely to rise further with the onset of the southwest monsoon. According to IMD officials, the monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on Tuesday.