Why in 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.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Environmental Costs of Paddy Cultivation
• Financial Sustainability of Rice Exports
• Towards a Non-Basmati Phaseout Strategy
• Advances in Rice Breeding Strategies

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.

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.