Compared to the other rice producing nations, Indian yields are low at around 2,850 kilograms of paddy per hectare. The world average is 3,603 kilograms, with Egypt yielding 7,603 and China and Japan providing around 5,800 kilograms of paddy per hectare. Thus, India has tremendous potential in increasing its rice production with its large area by stepping up its currently low yields. Punjab already produces paddy with a yield of around 5,060 kilograms per hectare. Besides production in other major states such as Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh is close to or above the world average of yield in paddy production.
Rice is grown in three seasons in India, autumn and winter in kharif and summer or rabi.
This indicates the high dependence of the rice crop on the monsoons which are concentrated in the months of June to September. The winter crop, whose sowing takes place between June and October and harvesting is between November and April, provides about 33 per cent of the total rice crop. The remaining 11 per cent is sown in the summer season. As mentioned earlier, rice is grown all over the country and is essentially a monsoon crop. Irrigation facilities available in rice producing areas is generally low.