In which season is rice grown in India?

Rice is chiefly a kharif crop — transplanted with the southwest monsoon in June–July and harvested in October–November. Irrigated rabi and summer rice are also grown in some regions.

What is the MSP of paddy?

For the Kharif Marketing Season 2025–26 the MSP is ₹2,369 per quintal for common paddy and ₹2,389 for Grade A (CACP / DA&FW).

Which is the largest rice-producing state in India?

Telangana is the leading rice producer, followed by Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh (DES crop data, 2022–23).

How much rice does India produce?

India produced a record 137.8 million tonnes of rice in 2023–24 (Final Estimates) and is the world's second-largest producer after China.

Is India the largest exporter of rice?

Yes — India is the world's largest rice exporter, shipping both basmati and non-basmati rice worldwide.

Kharif

Rice (Paddy)

Oryza sativa · Poaceae (grasses)

India's most widely grown food crop, the defining staple of the monsoon (kharif) season, and the world's most-traded rice.

Production · Rice (Paddy)

137.8 MT

1,378.25 lakh tonnes — record, 2023–24 Final Estimates

Source: DA&FW Final Estimates 2023–24 (PIB)
2023–24

Key figures

MSP · common

₹2,369

per quintal

CACP / DA&FW · KMS 2025–26

MSP · Grade A

₹2,389

per quintal

CACP / DA&FW · KMS 2025–26

World producer

No. 2

after China

FAOSTAT · reference

World exporter

No. 1

largest rice exporter

APEDA · reference

Top state

Telangana

leading — 17.21 MT

DES crop APY database · 2022–23

Growing season

Kharif

Jun–Oct

DA&FW · reference

About rice

Rice — cultivated as paddy — is India's most widely grown food crop and the defining staple of the monsoon (kharif) season across the east, south, and coastal regions.

It is chiefly a kharif crop, transplanted with the arrival of the southwest monsoon and harvested in autumn, though irrigated rabi and summer rice are grown in parts of the country. The 2023–24 crop was a record.

India is the world's second-largest rice producer after China, and its single largest exporter — shipping both premium basmati and non-basmati rice to markets across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Where it’s grown

Leading producing states

1Telangana17.21 MT
2Uttar Pradesh16.56 MT
3West Bengal15.84 MT
4Punjab13.75 MT
5Madhya Pradesh13.13 MT

Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal lead, each around 16–17 MT. These are DES crop-database (APY) state figures for 2022–23 and are not reconciled to the national Final Estimate.

DES crop APY database · 2022–23

How it’s grown

Season: Kharif (monsoon); some rabi/summer rice
Sowing: June–July (transplanted with the monsoon)
Harvest: October–November
Climate: Warm and humid; sustained high temperatures
Water: High; typically grown in flooded/puddled fields

Major varieties

Swarna (MTU 7029)

The dominant non-basmati variety of eastern India; medium-duration and flood-tolerant.

Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204)

A fine-grain variety widely grown in the south.

Pusa Basmati 1121

A leading aromatic basmati variety, prized in export markets.

Pusa Basmati 1509

An early-maturing basmati variety popular in the north-west.

IR64

A widely grown, widely exported non-basmati variety.

Widely grown released varieties (not an area-ranked list). Swarna (MTU 7029) is among the most widely grown non-basmati varieties in eastern India. ICAR-IIRR — rice varieties.

Economics & trade

Paddy is priced each kharif season through the Minimum Support Price. For the 2025–26 marketing season the MSP is ₹2,369 per quintal for common paddy and ₹2,389 for Grade A (CACP / DA&FW).

Rice is central to India's food security and public distribution, and the country is the world's largest rice exporter — premium basmati, grown mainly in the north-west, is a major agricultural foreign-exchange earner alongside non-basmati shipments.

Uses

The staple food grain for a majority of India's population.
A cornerstone of the public distribution system and food-security schemes.
Processed into rice flour, flattened/puffed rice, and used in brewing and starch; husk and straw serve as fuel and fodder.

Notable facts

India is the world's largest exporter of rice, even though China grows more of it.
Basmati rice carries a Geographical Indication (GI) tag protecting its Indian origin.
Rice is grown across an extraordinary range in India — from coastal deltas to Himalayan terraces.
Swarna (MTU 7029) is among the most widely grown non-basmati varieties in eastern India.

Frequently asked

In which season is rice grown in India?: Rice is chiefly a kharif crop — transplanted with the southwest monsoon in June–July and harvested in October–November. Irrigated rabi and summer rice are also grown in some regions.
What is the MSP of paddy?: For the Kharif Marketing Season 2025–26 the MSP is ₹2,369 per quintal for common paddy and ₹2,389 for Grade A (CACP / DA&FW).
Which is the largest rice-producing state in India?: Telangana is the leading rice producer, followed by Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh (DES crop data, 2022–23).
How much rice does India produce?: India produced a record 137.8 million tonnes of rice in 2023–24 (Final Estimates) and is the world's second-largest producer after China.
Is India the largest exporter of rice?: Yes — India is the world's largest rice exporter, shipping both basmati and non-basmati rice worldwide.