Context:
India has emerged as the world’s largest rice producer, surpassing China, with exports crossing 20 million metric tonnes and doubling over the past decade. However, this production boom has intensified groundwater depletion, especially in Punjab and Haryana, raising concerns of a looming water crisis despite favourable monsoons and strong government support.
Key Highlights:
Production & Export Growth
• India is now the largest global rice producer.
• Exports exceed 20 million metric tonnes, doubling in the last decade.
• Government support through Minimum Support Price (MSP) increased by nearly 70% over ten years.
Groundwater Depletion
• Farmers now drill borewells 80–200 feet deep, compared to ~30 feet a decade ago.
• Haryana and Punjab extract 35–57% more groundwater annually than natural recharge levels (2024–25 data).
• Many aquifers classified as “over-exploited” or “critical.”
Water Intensity of Rice
• Producing 1 kg of rice consumes 3,000–4,000 litres of water.
• Water use is 20–60% higher than the global average.
Policy Incentives & Concerns
• Power subsidies and assured MSP procurement incentivize water-intensive paddy cultivation.
• Haryana introduced a ₹17,500 per hectare subsidy to shift toward millets, but limited to one season.
Relevant Mains Points:
• Issue & Causes:
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Assured MSP procurement for rice.
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Free/subsidized electricity for irrigation.
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Water-intensive crop pattern in semi-arid regions.
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Inefficient irrigation (flood irrigation).
• Benefits of Rice Boom:
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Food security buffer stocks.
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Foreign exchange earnings.
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Farmer income stability.
• Challenges:
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Aquifer depletion.
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Soil degradation.
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Energy-water nexus stress.
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Vulnerability to monsoon variability.
• Impact:
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Threat to long-term agricultural sustainability.
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Increased climate vulnerability.
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Risk of desertification in north-west India.
Way Forward:
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Rationalize MSP to promote climate-resilient crops.
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Scale up millet promotion (International Year of Millets legacy).
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Introduce direct income support instead of input subsidies.
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Strengthen groundwater regulation under Model Bill.
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Promote water-saving techniques like Direct Seeded Rice (DSR)
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
• GS 3 – Economy: MSP reforms, export-led agriculture.
• GS 3 – Environment: Groundwater depletion, sustainable farming.
• GS 1 – Indian Geography: Cropping patterns and agro-climatic regions.
• Essay: Growth vs Sustainability; Water Crisis in India.
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