De-hyphenating Rice-Wheat: Addressing India’s Divergent Grain Challenges

De-hyphenating Rice-Wheat: Addressing India’s Divergent Grain Challenges

Sub : Sci 

Sec: Biotech

Why This is in News

India is currently facing distinct challenges with its two major cereals—wheat and rice. While wheat production is grappling with multiple constraints, rice is experiencing a surplus problem. This divergence necessitates a re-evaluation of policies and strategies to address the unique issues facing each grain.

Overview of Wheat and Rice Production

Wheat Production Challenges:

Wheat cultivation is geographically and temporally constrained, primarily occurring in the rabi season across northern, central, and western India.

Major wheat-producing states include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana, which account for over 76% of India’s output.

Wheat production is increasingly vulnerable due to shorter, warmer, and less predictable winters, exacerbated by climate change.

Notable temperature spikes in March and unseasonably warm November-December periods have adversely impacted wheat yields over the last three years.

Rice Production Surplus: Rice is cultivated across a wider geographical area and in both kharif and rabi seasons, making it less vulnerable to seasonal fluctuations compared to wheat.

India has seen record rice exports in recent years: 21.21 million tonnes (mt) in 2021-22, 22.35 mt in 2022-23, and 16.36 mt in 2023-24.

Despite high exports, rice stocks in government godowns were at an all-time high of 45.48 mt as of August 1, 2023.

Wheat

• Season: Wheat is a Rabi crop sown between September and December, and harvested between February and May.
• Cultivation Area: India cultivates wheat over approximately 29.8 million hectares.
• Indian Wheat Type: Predominantly soft to medium-hard with medium protein content, similar to U.S. hard white wheat.
• Durum Wheat: Known as pasta or macaroni wheat, is among the highest quality varieties in India.

Adaptability and Climatic Conditions

• Wide Adaptability: Grows in tropical, sub-tropical, temperate zones, and cold regions up to 60°N latitude.
• Climate Tolerance: Withstands severe cold and snow, resuming growth in warm spring weather.
• Altitude Range: Can be cultivated from sea level up to 3,300 meters.
• Ideal Climate: Best grown in regions with cool, moist conditions during growth, followed by warm, dry weather for ripening.
• Germination Temperature: Optimal germination occurs at 20-25°C, though seeds can germinate between 5-35°C.
• Climate Sensitivity: Rain after sowing hinders germination, and high/low temperatures during flowering harm the crop.
• Ripening Temperature: Ideal average temperature for ripening is around 14-15°C.

Indian and Global Wheat Production

• Indian Top Producers: Uttar Pradesh > Madhya Pradesh > Punjab > Haryana > Rajasthan.
• Top Producers: China, the EU, and India produce over 41% of the world’s wheat.
• Leading Exporters: Russia, the United States, Canada, France, and Ukraine are the top five wheat exporters.
• Import Dynamics: Despite large production, China and India are net importers with minimal global wheat exports.
• Ukraine and Russia: Together, they contribute 14% of global wheat production, ranking 4th and 7th respectively.

RICE

• Geographical Range: Rice is cultivated across India from 8° to 35°N latitude, from sea level up to 3,000 meters.
• Climatic Requirements: Rice thrives in hot and humid climates with high humidity, prolonged sunshine, and a reliable water supply.
• Temperature Range: The ideal temperature range for rice throughout its lifecycle is 21°C to 37°C, with a maximum tolerance of 40°C to 42°C.
• Soil Types: Rice is mainly cultivated in two types of soils—uplands and lowlands.
• Upland Cultivation: Methods include broadcasting seeds, sowing behind the plough, or drilling.
• Lowland Cultivation: Involves transplanting in puddled fields or broadcasting sprouted seeds in puddled fields.

Global and Domestic Production

• Global Position: India is the second-largest rice producer globally, after China, and holds a 40% share in global rice exports.
• Basmati Rice: India is the leading exporter of Basmati rice, with major production in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Western Uttar Pradesh.
• Top Producing States: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar contribute around 72% of India’s total rice-growing area and over 75% of the country’s rice production.
• Highest Production: West Bengal ranks first in rice production, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, Odisha.

Policy Implications

The combination of rising consumption and production challenges could potentially turn India into a wheat importer in the short term. Long-term strategies should focus on enhancing per-acre yields and developing climate-resilient wheat varieties. The surplus in rice production has led to calls for lifting the ban on the export of non-basmati white rice.

The issues facing wheat and rice in India are distinct and require separate approaches. Wheat production is becoming increasingly volatile due to climate-related factors, while rice faces an overproduction issue. Policymakers need to “de-hyphenate” these cereals, addressing their unique challenges independently to ensure food security and economic stability in the long run.