Govt plans to cover 25% of kharif paddy area with climate-resilient seeds

New Delhi: With erratic rainfall patterns threatening rice production in the country due to climate change, the Agriculture Ministry on Monday said it is targeting to bring 25 per cent of the total kharif paddy area under climate-resilient seeds.

"While we have achieved 75 per cent coverage of climate-resilient seeds in wheat cultivation, the adoption in paddy is still limited," ICAR Director General Himanshu Pathak told the media.

He also said that the ICAR has developed paddy seeds resistant to drought and lodging. These seeds were sown in 16 per cent of the total paddy area during the 2023 kharif season. "For the ongoing kharif season, we aim to increase this coverage to 25 per cent," he added.

India, the world's second-largest rice producer after China, cultivates paddy on over 410 lakh hectares during the kharif season.

Research studies indicate that climate change could reduce rice yields in India by 3-5 per cent under a medium emissions scenario, and up to 31.3 per cent by 2030 under high emissions.

Pathak attributed the record wheat output of 112.9 million tonne in 2023-24 to the widespread use of climate-resistant seeds, despite weather aberrations.

The government now hopes to replicate this success in paddy cultivation.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture as on Monday, Kharif crop sowing crosses 575 lakh hectare in the country. About 62.32 lakh hectare under pulses cultivation reported compared to 49.50 lakh hectare during the corresponding period of last year.

About 140.43 lakh hectare under oilseeds cultivation reported compared to 115.08 lakh hectare during the corresponding period of last year. Sowing of paddy covered 115 lakh hectares compared to 95.78 lakh hectare during the same time.