Rice occupies an area of 38 million hectares in the country. Included in this total is seven million hectares whose soil is either saline, alkaline, saline-alkaline or flood-prone. Only 25 per cent of the rice acreage in the country has assured irrigation. Nearly 55 per cent of the area is ill-drained or water-logged. The rest of the area constitute the rain-fed uplands where the rainfall is marginal to moderate and its distribution is sometimes erratic.

Rice is essentially a short day plant. A combination of temperatures, photoperiod and light intensity, however, determines the growth period, crop performance and productivity. Yields, in general, are higher in rabi than in kharif.
 

Rice cultivation is conditioned by temperature parameters at the different phases of growth. The critical mean temperature for flowering and fertilization ranges from 16 degrees C to 20 degrees C, whereas during ripening, the range is 28 degrees C to 32 degrees C. Temperatures beyond 35 degrees C affect not only pollen-shedding, but also grain-filling. Broadly speaking, vigorous vegetative growth, moderately high temperatures are required, whereas for panicle initiation, slightly lower temperatures (20 degrees C to 22 degrees C) would be ideal. High temperatures and high light intensity adversely affect grain-filling.
 

The major soil groups where rice is grown are: (i) riverine alluvium, (ii) red-yellow, (iii) red loamy, (iv) hill and submontane, (v) terai, (vi) laterite, (vii) coastal alluvium, (viii) red sandy, (ix) mixed red and black, and (x) medium and shallow black.

The humid Bengal-Assam basin which includes West Bengal and Assam - Riverine alluvium, terai soils, lateritic soils, red-yellow loams and red sandy soils.

RICE-CULTURE. The systems of rice cultivation in various rice growing areas of the country are largely dependent upon the rice growing conditions prevalent in the respective regions. The principal systems followed in India are 'dry', 'semi-dry' and the 'wet'.

The dry and semi-dry systems of rice cultivation are mainly confined to tracts which depend on rains and do not have supplementary irrigation facilities.

The wet system is practiced in areas assured of rainfall or by irrigation. In some areas, e.g. Assam, parts of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, flooding is common during the rice growing season.

Rice Production area

The major rice growing area in India are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Maharashtra, Kannataka, Haryana, Gujarat, Kerala, Jammu- Kashmir, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Arunanchal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Mirozam, Goa, Pondicherry, Sikkim, A & N Island and D & N Haveli.

Growth promotional activities

Rice is the agriculture is the backbone of India’s economy, providing direct employment to about 70% of working people in the country. It forms the basis of many premier industries of India, including the textile, jute, and sugar industries. Agriculture contributes about 31% to GDP; about 25% of India's exports are agricultural products.

Through a combination of increasing the area under cultivation and increasing cropping intensity today India is self sufficient in rice. Adoption of modern varieties (MVs) rice production exceeded 100 million t annually since 1988. India regularly exports high quality basmati rice (aromatic).

In India alone, basmati rice, non basmati rice exports are valued at (US) $800 million per annum. Over 80% of Basmati rice grown in India is produced for export.

Types of Rice

There are primarily four distinct types of rice:

India accounts for more than 75 percent of global trade, Japonica rice that accounts for around 12 percent of global rice trade, Basmati rice accounts for around 10 percent of global trade and Glutinous rice accounts for most of the remainder.

The main rice varieties grown in India are:

Abhaya, Aditya, ADT 37, ADT 38, ADT 40, Ajaya, Ananda, APD 36, APHR-1, APHR-2, AU 2, Avinash, Barkat, Basmati 217, BASMATI 370, BHADRA, BTP 5204, CHINA 988, CNRH-3, CO 45, CR 1016, CR 138 928, CTH 3, DRRH-1, FR 43 B, Gayatri, Gora types, Himalaya 741, Himdhan, HKR126, Huskalam, Intan, IR 22 / 36 / 28 / 34 / 42 / 50 / 62 / 64, Jagannath, Jaishree, Janki, JAYA, Jyothi, Jyoti, K 332, K 39 KALINGA 3, KANCHAN, KASTHURI=IET 8580, Kasturi, KAU 1531, Kaveri, KHITTISCH, KHP-2, KIRAN, KRH 1, Krishna Hamsa, KUNTI, Madhu, MAHSURI, Mahsuri white, Manasarovar, MANGALA, MGR-1, MO 5, MTU 7029, MUKHI (CTH 1), Nagarjuna, NIDHI (IET9994), PANT DHAN 10 / 12 / 4 / 6, PAVIZHAM=MO 6, PHALGUNA, PR103 / 106, PRASANA, Pravana, PRH-1, Pusa basmati 1, PY3, RADHA, Rasi, Salivahana, SARJOO 52, Sasyasree, SUDHA, Suraksha, SUREKHA, SWARMA, Swarnadhan, SWARNAPRABAHA, TULSI, UDAYA, Vibhava and Vikramarya.

Rice – Bengal

Warm and humid climate and vast areas of fertile plain lands of Bengal have caused the agriculture to be developed as the most magnificent economic activity of the State. Nearly ²/³ rd of the total land area of West Bengal is used for cultivation.

Importance of agriculture in the economy of West Bengal may be mentioned as follows:

1. Agricultural sector is the most important employment generating sector of the State. According to the 1991 census; 53% of the total workers of the State are directly engaged in agriculture. Agriculture also indirectly constitutes to the employment generation by promoting agro-based industries and other agriculture-related activities.

2. Contribution of agricultural sector to the State domestic product is greater than any other economic sector of West Bengal. In 1999-2000 this sector accounted for Rs. 33,241 crores which was 26% of the total domestic product.

3. Agriculture has promoted the development of agro-based industries in West Bengal. Jute is a very important commercial crop in the State and it supports the jute textile industry in the Hooghly industrial region in and around Kolkata. The State accounts for most of the jute textiles produced in India. Tea is another important industry in the State. Kolkata is the biggest auction market for tea in India. Rice mills, oil mills, silk industry etc. are other important agro-based industries in the State.

4. West Bengal is the largest producer of rice in India. Surplus rice production in the State provides income opportunities to the rice farmers.

Storage

The proper storage of the produce is necessary. If moist paddy is stored, fungal attack will set in and this would lead to grain discolouration. Bad odour and bitter taste would also develop. For avoiding such defects, the controlled mechanical drying of paddy is a necessity.

In advanced countries, mechanical devices and large-scale storage units are available and these facilities can be availed of on custom-service basis. Such a system can be adopted in this country. Alternatively, economical and effective storage structures, now available, can be established at block or district levels.