Rice is one of the world's four major staple foods, and it is also the world's largest food crop in terms of production and consumption, with an annual volume of 50 million tons in the world.
India, which has surpassed China to become the world's most populous country, has made great contributions in this regard, surpassing Thailand to become the world's largest rice exporter.
In 2022, India exported 22 million tonnes of rice, accounting for more than 40% of the world's rice exports, more than Thailand, Vietnam, and Pakistan combined, according to the data.
With so much rice exported, India's output will certainly not be less, and it is reported that in 2022, India's annual rice output will reach 1200 million tons, so how big is the gap with China, which has been the world's largest rice producer all year round?What is the level of China's annual rice production?
In fact, India also has a long history of rice cultivation.
On October 29, 2014, a report in the international journal Nature stated:The Ganges Valley in northern India, the Yangtze River basin in China, and the southern slopes of the Himalayas are all birthplaces of rice.
That is to say,As early as 3000 BC, Indians began to grow rice in the Ganges Valley.
Over time,India also has a model for growing its own riceIn addition to its rich history, India's rice production also has unique advantagesThat is the environmental conditions that are very suitable for the growth of rice.
India is located in the tropical zone and has a tropical monsoon climateThe average monthly temperature is above 21, and the climate is warm and humid in most areas, with abundant precipitation.
The southwest monsoon brings abundant rainfall to crops, coupled with the abundance of rural India workforce,These conditions are ideal for the cultivation of rice.
Environmental conditions also determine the distribution of rice in India very distinctivelyIt is mainly concentrated in the eastern plains, the southern plateau, and the western coast, which have sufficient water, which encompasses almost all the deltas, Assam plains and low mountains and hilly areas of India.
Since India straddles two climatic zones, this leads toRice crops are grown twice or three times a year in the east and south, and once a year in the north and westFrom the perspective of harvest cycle, Indian rice has more production advantages than Chinese rice.
Since the 80s of the last century, the area of rice cultivation in India has increased year by year, and the data shows that by the end of 2022,India's rice planting area is nearly 600 million mu, 1 more than China500 million mu, ranking first in the world.
This also brings more than 1200 million tons of rice production, contributing nearly 4 percent of India's total grain production, is also the staple food of 7 percent of India's residents, it is worth mentioning that this is also the harvest after the severe drought in many parts of India.
It is reported thatLast year, northern India suffered from drought and little rainfall, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, where the drought is most severe.
The affected area is as high as 30 million mu, resulting in a reduction of 7 million to 8 million tons of rice productionWithout this drought, India's rice yield is likely to reach a new high of 1More than 300 million tons.
Of course, although India has the largest rice cultivation area in the world, its annual output is second only to ChinaHowever, its yield per mu is relatively low, and even far below the global average.
It is reported that over the years,India's yield per mu has always remained at a low level of 320 370 catties, I can't mention it.
And Indian rice, in addition to being self-sufficient, has also embarked on the path of export,At one time, it became the world's largest rice exporter, just one year in 2022,They alone exported 22 million tonnes, accounting for more than 40 percent of the world's total rice exports.
Among them,Basmati riceIt is India's main export productThe annual export volume is around 4.5 million tonsThis kind of rice has a slender appearance and high transparency, with an average grain length of about 7 mm, and the longest one is even more than 76 mm.
This type of rice has a translucent luster when cooked, and the rice grains grow 2-3 times and give off an attractive aroma, hence the name "Rice Grains".Basmati rice, and basmati rice tastes very good, fragrant and deliciousIt is also known as the "nobility of rice".
Basmati rice is also the most expensive rice in the world, India's export of this rice is set as:$1,200 per tonneThe lowest**, equivalent to 9 yuan for 1 kilogram.
In the American supermarket,Basmati rice sells for $16 per kilogram on a daily basis.
This year, affected by India's reduction in the export quota of basmati rice, basmati rice** sold in American supermarkets once soared50 USD kg.
It also triggered a "rice rush", and Indians in the United States frantically rushed to buy basmati rice in supermarkets in various states in the United States, for fear that they would never be able to eat basmati rice again in this life.
Compared to India,China is the country with the longest history of rice cultivation in the world, according to the excavation research of Hemudu, Yuyao, ZhejiangAs early as six or seven thousand years ago, the ancients had been cultivating rice here.
Again, after thousands of years of experience,China also has its own model for growing rice.
China's rice producing areas are mainly concentrated in the southern regionMost of the farmland in the southern region is paddy field, which is suitable for growing riceAnd, of course, there are also a few areas in the northern provinces where it is cultivated.
Since Academician Yuan Longping discovered the "super rice".China is a leader in rice cultivationNot only does the annual output rank first in the world, but the yield per mu also ranks among the top in the world.
According to the data, in 2022,China's rice production reached 20.8 billion tons, more than 88 million tons more than India's output, which is still 1 less planting area than India500 million acres in the case of the result,The sown area of rice in China is about 4400 million acres.
This also shows in disguise that China's rice yield per mu far exceeds that of IndiaIt can reach 7079 per hectare46 kilograms, equivalent to 944 kilograms per mu.
And for several years,China's rice yield per mu is stable at 930 950 catties, which is equivalent to 2-3 times that of IndiaThe lead is quite clear.
All this is thanks to the unremitting efforts of Chinese scientists in rice cross-breeding, such as the "super rice" that was hybridized in my countryThe highest yield per mu has exceeded 2,600 catties, breaking the world record again.
Currently,The annual area of hybrid rice cultivation in the country exceeds 2500 million mu, with an annual increase of about 2.5 million tons of riceIt could feed an additional 80 million people every year.
Although China's rice planting area is decreasing year by year, China has begun to vigorously develop and utilize itCoastal tidal flats, saline-alkali land, deserts, and wastelandsand other barren land to grow rice.
And also the yield is not low,The average yield per mu is 3,500 kilogramsThis has also added an important guarantee to China's food security.
If these areas can be fully utilized, a new round of rice cultivation will usher in a new round of growth, and rice production will also increaseBy then, China's annual rice output is likely to exceed 300 million tons.
The ability of Chinese rice to maintain high and stable yields all year round is determined by many factorsThe first reason is natural factors, our country is vast.
Plains account for 12% of the total area, basins account for 19%, and hills account for 10%.There are too many areas suitable for growing rice.
Most of the areas where rice is grown are in the eastern half of ChinaIn summer, the marine monsoon prevails, and it is hot, humid and rainyThis determines that China's rice production is rainy and hot in the same period, with sufficient water sources and convenient irrigation.
Coupled with years of fertilization, the soil layer is deep and fertileWith these conditions, China's rice has the confidence to maintain high yield and stability.
The second reason is the advantage of cultivation technologyChina has a long history of rice cultivation and rich experience.
In the process of planting and production, practitioners in various regions are adapted to local conditionsThe high-yield cultivation technology supporting the region has been summarized and innovated, which ensures the stable yield of rice and pursues the steady increase of yield.
Even the dwarf rice varieties have been arranged by our scientific researchers clearlyIn response to its summary, the "three yellows and three blacks" high-yield technology was proposed.
With the blessing of this technology,The dwarf rice stalks have also grown stronger, and the ears have grownThe number of ears per hectare can reach 3063.36 million, and the number of grains per panicle can also reach 76 104, and the yield per mu is as high as 912 catties, an increase of 157% over the same period.
It can be seen that the innovation and application of cultivation technology is of great significance to the yield of riceGood cultivation technology can ensure the stable yield of rice and seek breakthroughs in the process.
The third and most important reason is the advantage of varietyGood varieties determine half of the yield, and China's rice breeding experts have been selecting high-yield and high-quality varieties for many years.
They have combined heterozygous advantage with plant type improvementIndica-type super hybrid rice varieties were bred, which has greatly increased rice yields.
Compared to ordinary rice,Super rice has the morphological characteristics of moderate tillering, straight sword leaves, tall plants, tough and resistant stems, large panicles and many grains.
At the same time, it has the physiological functions of high photosynthetic efficiency, strong root vitality and coordinated source-reservoir flow, and has the genetic basis of aggregation of high-yield, high-quality, stress-resistant and disease-resistant traits.
These characteristics resulted in an average increase of 10% in total biomass and a 13%, heading-maturity stage increased yield by 199%, the average yield per mu can reach 12515 kg, the effect is very obvious.
The natural climate and land conditions of rice in India are different from those in China, and there are also differences in planting technology and varieties, and the yield per mu is even more different.
At present, India's rice yield per mu is stable at about 320,370 catties, while China's is 930,950 catties, a difference of 2 or 3 times between the two countries, and China is significantly ahead of India.