The Prospects for Hybrid Rice in India

The government of India has set a target of expanding the cultivation of hybrid rice to 25 % of the area occupied by the crop by 2015. Current growth trends suggest that this target will not be met, despite the potential contribution of hybrid rice to lagging growth in national rice yields, overall rice production, land-use reallocation and food security. This unfolding experience suggests a different trajectory from that of China, where hybrid rice accounts for more than half of the area under the crop and has contributed significantly to yield and output growth, reallocation of land to other agriculture and nonagricultural uses and food security. This paper examines the technical challenges, market opportunities, and policy constraints relating to hybrid rice in India