New Delhi: India has overtaken China to emerge as the world’s largest rice producer, clocking a record output of 150.18 million tonnes in the 2024-25 season, a milestone that underscores the country’s growing heft in global agriculture. The achievement marks the first time India has moved ahead of China, whose rice production stood at around 145 million tonnes, according to official estimates.
Announcing the milestone, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the surge reflects a combination of higher acreage, improved productivity and sustained policy support to farmers. He said India has moved decisively from a food-deficit nation to a food-surplus one, with sufficient stocks to meet domestic needs while strengthening its position as the world’s largest exporter of rice.
Officials attributed the jump in output to better monsoon distribution, wider adoption of high-yielding varieties and improved farm practices. The government has also stepped up its focus on seed technology, with Chouhan unveiling 184 new crop varieties developed by ICAR across 25 crops, including rice, aimed at boosting yields and climate resilience.
India’s rice production has been on a steady upward trajectory over the past decade, even as China’s output has largely plateaued. With the latest figures, India not only consolidates its leadership in global rice trade but also reinforces its role as a key pillar of global food security at a time of volatile commodity markets and climate uncertainty.
BI Bureau
