New Delhi: The government warned on Friday that a decline in the area used for paddy sowing might cause India's production of rice to drop by 10 to 12 million tonnes during the current Kharif season.
However, Sudhanshu Pandey, the food secretary, said that the nation will produce more rice than it needs.
He emphasised that the lack of rain in various states is to blame for the 38 lakh hectare decrease in paddy acreage so far this Kharif season.
A little more than 80% of all the rice produced in India is produced during the Kharif season.
"Loss of production of rice may be 10 million tonnes and in the worst case it can be 12 million tonnes this year," he told reporters here.
However, the secretary said that this is an initial estimate based on the drop in acreage and average yield, PTI reported.
Pandey said the fall in production could be less as yield might improve in states where rains have been good.
Total production of Rice during the 2021-22 crop year (July-June) is estimated at a record 130.29 million tonnes.
It is higher by 13.85 million tonnes than the last five years' average production of 116.44 million tonnes.
The secretary did not reply to a question on whether the government would extend the free foodgrains programme Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.