Rice is grown in many regions across India. For about 65%
of the people living in India, rice is a staple food. Rice is essential to life
in India. It is a part of nearly every meal, and is grown primarily on rural
farms. Some important facts about rice in the
Indian scenario are: • Agriculture is the main source of income for families in India. Farms cover over half the
land and almost three-quarters of that
land is used to grow the two major
grains: rice and wheat. • India is the second largest producer of rice in
the world, next only to China. • India's annual rice production is around 85 to 90 million tons. Annual consumption, is around
85 million tons. • In India, Rice is cultivated in both winter and summer. • West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Orissa,
Assam, Karnataka and Haryana are the
major producing states. More than 50%
of the total production comes from the
first four states. • The Food Corporation of India purchases around 20% to 25% of the total rice production in the
country both under levy from the rice
mills and directly in the form of paddy
from the farmers at Minimum Support
Prices announced by the Government. • More than 4000 varieties of rice are grown in India. • India is the world's largest exporter of Basmati
rice to Saudi Arabia and other Middle
East Countries, Europe, and the United
States. • India has the potential to export one million tons
of Basmati rice. • Major destinations for Indian non-basmati, white/parboiled rice are Bangladesh,
Indonesia, Philippines, Nigeria, South
Africa, Ivory Coast, and other African
countries.
