India has crossed an important threshold in its agricultural history by becoming the world’s largest producer of rice, with an estimated output of more than 149 million tonnes in the 2024-25 crop season. This marks a shift in global grain production rankings, placing India ahead of China, whose rice output is expected to reach 144.62 million tonnes according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA also projects India’s rice production to further increase to 148 million tonnes in 2025-26, continuing its lead over China’s estimated 145.28 million tonnes.
While this might appear to be a recent achievement, it is the result of decades of deliberate scientific efforts, policy adjustments, and farmer participation. The success story of rice in India is deeply rooted in the country’s evolution from a food-deficit nation in the 1950s to a food-secure one today. Understanding this journey helps bring context to the significance of today’s production milestone.
From Food Scarcity to Surplus: A Story That Began in the 1960s
India’s transformation in rice production began during the Green Revolution era of the 1960s. During that time, the country adopted high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of rice developed by Indian agricultural scientists in collaboration with international research institutions. One of the major breakthroughs came with the release of IR8, a semi-dwarf rice variety that had significantly higher yields compared to traditional strains. These HYVs, supported by increased fertilizer use, irrigation infrastructure, and procurement support, laid the groundwork for rice self-sufficiency.
However, the early success was mainly concentrated in the northwestern states of Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh. This geographical focus led to regional imbalances in production and rising concerns about sustainability, soil health, and water depletion. Over time, policymakers and researchers began to shift their attention to less traditional rice-growing states.
Read More: India Unveils World’s First Genome-Edited Rice Varieties Without Foreign DNA
The Changing Rice Map of India
The steady movement of rice cultivation from northwestern India to the central and eastern parts of the country has been one of the key changes in recent decades. States like Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh have emerged as significant contributors to India’s rice output. Their rise has been aided by state-led initiatives such as expanded irrigation coverage, borewell subsidies, and power support.
S Chandrasekaran, Managing Director of Svastha Ecoharvest, a company working on climate-compliant rice technologies, observed, “The rice security bowl from the northwest region has been moving to Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. Now, they are big rice producers. This is thanks to the State governments’ patronage by increasing the irrigation coverage as well as incentivising procurement through bonuses and assured purchase of the crop.”
He added that the yield has gone up not just due to policy efforts but also through constant improvement in rice varieties, especially those designed to withstand changing climate conditions.
The Role of Agricultural Research and Climate-Resilient Breeding
The increase in production is not only a matter of geography and policy. Science has played a crucial role, especially in developing rice varieties that are more productive, less dependent on water, and tolerant to climate stressors such as drought and heatwaves. Agricultural institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and state agricultural universities have continually released new and improved rice strains over the years.
The latest development in this field is the advent of gene-edited rice varieties. Unlike genetically modified (GM) crops, gene editing techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 do not involve the introduction of foreign DNA. Instead, they make precise changes to the plant’s existing genes, which can enhance characteristics such as drought resistance, pest tolerance, or nutrient efficiency. These gene-edited varieties are currently being evaluated for large-scale use, and they represent a new chapter in India’s rice development strategy.
One such variety is designed to increase nitrogen-use efficiency, helping the plant grow well with less fertilizer. This is especially relevant as India grapples with both the economic and environmental costs of high fertilizer usage. These new technologies promise to reduce dependency on chemical inputs while maintaining or even enhancing yields.
Farmers, Exporters, and the Human Chain Behind the Numbers
Beyond labs and government offices, this achievement rests on the shoulders of millions of farmers who grow rice across India’s diverse landscapes. Many of them have adapted to new varieties, experimented with climate-smart practices, and made the best use of incentives provided by the state.
BV Krishna Rao, President of The Rice Exporters Association, pointed out the scale of collaboration involved: “After continuously holding the top position in global rice trade, becoming the world’s top producer is a big achievement in itself. This is particularly heartening as India meets the food requirements of 1.4 billion people. This leadership position has come after years of efforts by farmers, scientists, millers, exporters and different stakeholders.”
India’s rise in global rice trade was a precursor to this production feat. For several years, the country has been the leading exporter of rice, supplying both basmati and non-basmati varieties to markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Exporters have also had to balance international demand with domestic food security concerns, particularly during years of erratic monsoons or global price volatility.
Balancing Yield, Sustainability, and Nutrition
Even as India celebrates this milestone, the journey ahead will involve navigating complex trade-offs. While producing more rice is important, equally critical is ensuring that the cultivation remains sustainable. Overreliance on chemical fertilizers, groundwater depletion, and stubble burning are real issues in some rice-growing belts. There is also growing interest in diversifying food grain production to include more nutritious and climate-resilient crops like millets and pulses.
The development of gene-edited rice varieties and the continued expansion of rice production into new states offer hope that India can address these concerns with innovation and balance. But it will require continued investment in agricultural research, transparent regulatory policies for new technologies, and constant dialogue with farmers on the ground.
In the end, India’s new position as the top rice producer is less a singular event and more a reflection of how the country has steadily built its capacity to feed itself and others—one seed, one field, and one season at a time.
