India became World’s Largest Rice Producer

Why in the News?

• India became World’s Largest Rice Producer after officially overtaking China to become the number one rice-producing country in the world.
• India’s rice production reached 150.18 million tonnes, surpassing China’s 145.28 million tonnes, as announced by the Union Agriculture Minister.
• The achievement reflects India’s long-term transition from a food-deficient nation to a food-surplus economy, with growing relevance in global food supply chains.
• The announcement coincided with the release of 184 new high-yielding crop varieties by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), reinforcing the productivity push.

Basics about Rice and Its Cultivation in India

• Rice is the most important food crop of India and the staple diet for a majority of its population.
• It is predominantly a Kharif crop, although it is cultivated across multiple seasons depending on regional climatic conditions.
• Rice thrives in hot and humid climates, requiring:
  • Mean monthly temperatures of around 24°C, with a suitable range of 22°C to 32°C.
  • Rainfall between 100 cm and 300 cm, with irrigation compensating in low-rainfall regions.
• It grows well in deep clayey and loamy soils, although it can tolerate a wide range of soil types, including acidic and alkaline soils.
• Paddy is a semi-aquatic plant, requiring standing water of around 10–15 cm for most of its growing period.

India’s Rice Production

• India currently ranks as the world’s largest rice producer, followed by China.
• Other major rice-producing countries include Indonesia, Bangladesh, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Egypt.
• India is also the largest rice exporter globally, exporting around 20.1 million metric tonnes in 2024–25.

Major Rice-Producing States

• According to recent Economic Survey data:
  • Telangana contributes around 12 percent of national rice output.
  • Uttar Pradesh accounts for about 11.5 percent.
  • West Bengal contributes nearly 11 percent.
• Other consistently high-producing states include Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.

Geographical Patterns

• Rice cultivation is concentrated in eastern, southern, and north-eastern India, where climatic and water conditions are favourable.
• River deltas such as the Ganga–Brahmaputra plains and the Krishna–Godavari–Cauvery delta systems provide fertile alluvial soils and assured water supply.
• In low-rainfall regions like Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, rice cultivation depends heavily on canal and tube-well irrigation, raising concerns about groundwater depletion.
• In hilly regions, rice is grown through terraced farming, allowing controlled water flow on slopes.

Role of Technology, Seeds, and Policy Support

• ICAR has developed India’s first genome-edited rice varieties, including DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1.
  • These varieties are designed to enhance yield, climate resilience, and water-use efficiency.
• The release of 184 new crop varieties across 25 crops reflects a broader strategy to improve:
  • Productivity
  • Nutritional quality
  • Climate adaptability
• Since the crop variety notification process began in 1969:
  • Over 7,200 varieties have been approved.
  • More than 3,200 high-yielding varieties were notified after 2014.
• The government has emphasised last-mile seed delivery, integrated farming systems, and farmer outreach to ensure that productivity gains reach the ground.

Economic and Global Significance

• Becoming the India World’s Largest Rice Producer strengthens India’s role in global food security, especially for rice-importing countries in Asia and Africa.
• Higher production supports export earnings, contributing valuable foreign exchange to the economy.
• Large buffer stocks enhance domestic food security, allowing India to balance exports with welfare commitments.
• Stable and high rice output also helps moderate volatility in global rice prices, particularly during climate or geopolitical shocks.

External reference – The Economic Times
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