India's Rice Production and Challenges

In 2024-25, India surpassed China to become the world's largest rice producer with an output of approximately 150 million metric tonnes, while China produced 145.28 million tonnes. India now accounts for about 28% of global rice production, showing a significant rise from a decade ago when India produced 104.4 million metric tonnes compared to China's 148.5 million metric tonnes.

Steady Rise in Production

• Between 1969-70 and 2024-25, the area under paddy cultivation increased by over 36%, with a tripling of yield, leading to a near quadrupling of production.
• In 2019-20, the area under paddy was 43.66 million hectares, which rose to 51.42 million hectares in 2024-25, with the production growing from 118.87 million metric tonnes to 150 million metric tonnes.
• India's share in global output increased from 21.95% in 2011 to 28% in 2024.

India's Rice Stocks

• As of January 1, 2026, the rice stock in the central pool was 63.06 million metric tonnes, significantly higher than the buffer stock requirement of 7.61 million metric tonnes.
• Despite efforts like offloading rice in the open market and using it for ethanol production, stock levels have remained high.
• During the 2023–24 kharif marketing season, 525.48 lakh metric tonnes of rice were procured, mainly from Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.

Why Paddy is Attractive

• Paddy is India's most widely grown crop, covering 514.23 lakh hectares in 2024-25, compared to wheat's 328 lakh hectares.
• Offers higher returns due to a minimum support price (MSP), with Rs 56,226 per hectare for paddy at the 2021-22 MSP rate.
• India exported six million tonnes of basmati and 14.13 million tonnes of non-basmati rice in 2024-25, earning substantial foreign revenue.

Issues with Paddy Cultivation

• Highly water-intensive, requiring 1-3 tonnes of water per kilogram of rice, leading to groundwater depletion, especially in Punjab.
• Rice yield varies significantly across states, with Punjab achieving 4,428 kg/hectare compared to the national average of 2,929 kg/hectare.

Moving Away from Paddy

• The government is promoting crop diversification to enhance farm income, nutritional security, and water conservation.
• The Agriculture Ministry proposed incentivizing farmers to grow alternative crops, potentially saving Rs 1.36 lakh per hectare based on economic costs.
• Focus areas for diversification include districts with lower yields and coverage, promoting oilseeds and pulses to reduce import dependence.