Mint Primer: The thorny side of India's newly won rice crown

Mint

6 hours ago

India has toppled China to become the world's largest rice producer. While this is a milestone, the surge in rice production has come at the cost of pulses and oilseeds—crops where India is heavily dependent on imports. Mint explains what's at stake.
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How much rice is India producing now?
India's rice output surged to 149 million tonnes (mt) in 2024-25—a 25% rise compared to 2019-20, as per the third advance estimates released by the agriculture ministry on 30 May. According to global cereal estimates from the US Department of Agriculture, China's production is pegged at 145mt in 2024-25. However, rice productivity in China, at 7.1 tonnes per hectare, is significantly higher than India's 4.3 tonnes, shows data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. India is currently the largest exporter with a 40% share in global rice trade. In FY25, India exported 20mt of rice worth ₹1.05 trillion, a 23% rise over FY24.
Is growing more rice a problem?
Yes, for two reasons. First, farmers are planting more rice because of assured government purchases at a minimum support price (MSP). Besides, rice is a safer crop to grow than, say, soybean or arhar, which are prone to weather risks. When farmers get irrigation access, they shift from pulses and oilseeds where MSP-based purchase is low. Second, rice needs 4-5 times more water to grow than pulses and oilseeds- which means India is virtually exporting water despite declining availability. In rice growing states like Haryana and Punjab, 62-76% of blocks are over-exploited for groundwater, making the practice unsustainable.
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What is the import bill of pulses and cooking oils?
In FY25, India imported pulses worth ₹46,428 crore, a 49% increase year-on-year. Its edible oil imports were about ₹1.5 trillion during the year. Put together, the ₹1.9 trillion spent on import of pulses and cooking oils comprise 65% of India's total spending on import of farm commodities. This is nearly double of what India earns from rice exports.
What is the impact on nutrition?
India's reliance on cheap, calorie-rich cereals has helped combat hunger, yet it's led to a poor quality diet. Cereals account for 50-70% of the average Indian's energy needs, far outweighing pulses and proteins, which contribute a mere 6-9% against a recommended 14%. The National Institute of Nutrition norms emphasize diversifying intake from eight food groups, including fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, meats, eggs, and dairy. But consumption of refined cereals and processed foods is fuelling a rise in diseases like diabetes.
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What can be done to fix the cereal-bias?
Experts suggest the Centre must buy more pulses and oilseeds at support prices to move farmers away from water-guzzling cereals like rice. Plus, farmers will need trade duty protection to compete with cheap, imported oils (palm and soybean). Farmers can be pushed to grow more pulses- which need less of water and subsidized fertilisers- by paying them extra for ecological services. On the consumption side, activists are seeking front-of-the-pack warning labels for ultra-processed food to alert consumers.