Rethinking India’s Rice Production and Export Strategy

India’s Rice Production and Export Strategy Latest News

• India has been the world’s largest rice exporter since 2011–12. In 2024–25, India exported about 21.69 million tonnes, far higher than Thailand (7.86 million tonnes) and Vietnam (8.06 million tonnes).
• India also became the largest rice producer in the world in 2024–25, with an estimated 150 million tonnes of output, surpassing China’s 145.28 million tonnes.
• However, the key challenge ahead is maintaining this leadership while ensuring environmental sustainability and financial viability.

Environmental Costs of Paddy Cultivation

• Paddy is an extremely water-intensive crop. A single irrigation covering one acre to a depth of 2.5 cm requires about 1,01,171 litres of water. 
• To control weeds, paddy fields are usually kept submerged under about 5 cm of water for long periods.
• Depending on crop duration and planting time, paddy requires 20 to more than 30 irrigations. 
• Under the conventional system of transplanting with continuous flooding, about 25 irrigations at 5 cm depth can consume roughly 5 million litres of water per acre.

Water Footprint of Rice Production

• With an average yield of 2.5 tonnes of paddy per acre, producing one kilogram of paddy requires about 2,000 litres of water. 
• After milling (which gives about two-thirds recovery), one kilogram of rice requires nearly 3,000 litres of water.
• This means that every kilogram of rice exported by India effectively represents the export of about 3,000 litres of water, raising concerns about the environmental sustainability of large-scale rice exports.

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Financial Sustainability of Rice Exports

• India exports both basmati and non-basmati rice, but their export values differ significantly. 
• In 2023–24 and 2024–25, basmati exports were about 5–6 million tonnes, less than half of non-basmati exports (11–14 million tonnes).
• However, the export value of both categories was almost similar. Basmati exports earned about $5.8–5.9 billion, while non-basmati exports generated $4.5–6.5 billion.
• The average unit value of basmati rice was ₹82.9–92.3 per kg, compared with ₹34–39.2 per kg for non-basmati rice, showing that basmati brings higher revenue per kilogram.

Water Efficiency in Basmati Cultivation

• Basmati rice also requires less irrigation water compared with many non-basmati varieties. 
• Non-basmati paddy is usually transplanted in June, during peak summer, which requires frequent irrigation.
• In contrast, basmati varieties are transplanted in July with the onset of monsoon, reducing the need for irrigation.

Climatic Advantage for Aroma

• Basmati crops flower and develop grains in October, when temperatures fall to 30–31°C. 
• These cooler conditions help the formation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, the compound responsible for basmati’s distinctive aroma.
• If transplanted earlier in June, grain filling happens in September when temperatures remain high, which reduces aroma quality.

Shift Towards High-Value Rice Exports

• Because basmati generates higher export earnings and uses less water, it offers better economic and environmental returns. 
• Experts suggest increasing exports of basmati and other high-value aromatic rice varieties.
• These include GI-protected varieties such as Kalanamak and Adamchini (Uttar Pradesh), Katarni (Bihar), Gobindobhog (West Bengal), Badshah Bhog (Chhattisgarh), Koraput Kalajeera (Odisha), Wayanad Jeerakasala and Gandhakasala (Kerala), and Seeraga Samba (Tamil Nadu).
• The broader goal is to shift from exporting bulk commodity rice to exporting high-value, less water-intensive rice varieties.

Towards a Non-Basmati Phaseout Strategy

• India’s basmati exports have increased sharply from 0.6–0.7 million tonnes in the early 2000s to 5–6 million tonnes in recent years. 
• Export earnings have also risen from $400–450 million to about $5.8–5.9 billion. 
• This growth is largely due to high-yielding basmati varieties developed by scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).

High-Yield Modern Basmati Varieties

• Pusa Basmati-1509 yields about 2.5 tonnes of paddy per acre and matures in 115–120 days, compared with 1 tonne yield and 155–160 days maturity for traditional basmati varieties.
• India’s basmati GI region covers about 6.2 million hectares across Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Himachal Pradesh.
• However, actual basmati cultivation is only about 2.1 million hectares. Expanding basmati to the entire GI area could increase production, exports, and sustainability in rice farming.

Policy Measures for Transition

• Experts suggest gradually reducing non-basmati rice cultivation in water-stressed regions like Punjab and Haryana.
• The government could instead procure non-basmati paddy from eastern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, where groundwater stress is lower.
• The government can set a floor price for basmati paddy in mandis to protect farmers from price crashes.

Advances in Rice Breeding Strategies

• IARI scientists introduced genes from wild rice and landraces into popular varieties such as Pusa Basmati-1509, 1121 and 1401 using marker-assisted selection.
• This led to disease-resistant varieties Pusa Basmati-1847, 1885 and 1886, which resist bacterial leaf blight and rice blast.
• Genetic resistance reduces the need for antibiotics and fungicides. Lower chemical use helps maintain basmati’s premium quality in global markets.

Tackling Other Crop Threats

• Researchers are now identifying genes for resistance against diseases (bakanae, false smut, brown spot) and pests (stem borer, leaf folder, plant hoppers).
• The focus is also on traits like drought, heat and salinity tolerance.

Source: IE