Minister for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Thursday announced that the a target has been set for 25,200 hectares for hybrid rice cultivation in the 2025–26 Kharif season.

He said, the initiative aimed at increasing the production and productivity of rice in the state. On this day, the Minister planted paddy to encourage farmers and the younger generation at Simna Assembly Constituency.

According to a press release, Nath said that in 2024–25, hybrid rice was cultivated in a total area of 35,000 hectares in the state out of which 8,630 hectares were cultivated during the Kharif season and 26,370 hectares in the Rabi season.

The Minister also informed that around 30 lakh kani of land is under cultivation of various horticultural products, and paddy is cultivated in around 15 lakh kani of land annually.

The Minister said that currently, Aman paddy is cultivated in 9.01 lakh kani of land, Boro paddy in 3.94 lakh kani, and around 85,000 kani of land is used for jhum cultivation throughout the year.

He further informed that out of 58 blocks, 30 blocks and three districts South, Gomati, and Sepahijala are currently self-sufficient in food production.

“To make up for this shortfall in rice, we are focusing on hybrid cultivation using the SRI process. We want to work for farmers. They have to transplant paddy seedlings of 20 days old, and it should not exceed this. If we use the SRI method, it is possible to increase the yield by 80 kg per kani", the minister said.

The Agriculture Minister also informed that in 2017–18, the demand for rice was 8.26 lakh MT while the state’s population was 39.75 lakh. The production was 7.70 lakh MT, resulting in a shortfall of 56,000 MT. In 2024–25, with the population reaching 42.22 lakh, the demand is now 8.77 lakh MT, while the production stands at 8.30 lakh MT, a shortfall of around 47,000 MT.

“To mitigate this crisis, the department has started hybrid cultivation. We have increased hybrid paddy cultivation in the state. If any farmer cultivates hybrid paddy as per the government’s decision, then we provide financial assistance as well as support in fertilizers and other inputs per hectare. Our main aim is to increase their income. PM Modi wants to make the country a hub for food grain storage so that we can export globally. No other country can export rice like India. The foundation of India is agriculture. I have also planted paddy to encourage farmers and the younger generation. There is a chance to earn lakhs of rupees in agriculture, fisheries, and other sectors. There is huge opportunity in agriculture,” said the Minister.