(a) whether the area under rice cultivation has gone up during the current kharif season as compared to previous year;
(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the area under rice cultivation during each of the last three years, State-wise;
(c) whether the production of rice suffered owing to drought in about 400 districts of the country;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken to encourage the farmers for rice cultivation?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) & (b): No, Madam. The estimated area under rice during the current kharif season is
estimated at 36.95 million hectares as against the estimated area of 37.49 million hectares
during kharif season last year.
(c) to (e): Although at all-India level the rainfall during monsoon 2010 was normal, there
was deficiency in the rainfall in some parts of the country. Total 88 districts (38 districts
in Bihar, 24 districts in Jharkhand, 15 districts in Orissa and 11 districts in West Bengal)
were declared as drought affected. Due to drought/deficient monsoon in the above major rice
producing areas of the country, the production of rice has been adversely affected and the
estimated production of kharif rice during 2010-11 is lower at 80.41 million tones as compared
to 84.91 million tones during Kharif 2008-09. However, the production of kharif rice during
2010-11 is considerably higher than the production of 75.91 million tones during kharif 2009-10
which was a drought year.
In order to encourage farmers to increase production of rice in the country, the
Government of India has taken a number of initiatives under different schemes such as
National Food Security Mission-Rice, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and Macro Management
Mode of Agriculture. The Minimum Support Price of paddy has also been increased from Rs.645
per quintal during 2007-08 to Rs.1000 per quintal during 2010-11.