India’s basmati boom gets a short-cycle boost

“We are anticipating increase in area of short duration basmati varieties by 7-10% as farmers got remunerative price last year,” said Satish Goel, president, All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA).

Short-duration basmati varieties mature in 115–125 days — about 20–25 days earlier than longer-duration types — allowing farmers to save on input costs, better manage stubble, and grow an additional crop in between. This shift is expected to push India’s total basmati acreage beyond 3 million hectares, further strengthening its lead in global exports.

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Remote sensing expert supports this view. “As per initial estimates, the area under short-duration basmati varieties would increase by at least 7% across all the major basmati-growing belts,” said Dr Dharmesh Verma of Anvik Value Chain Pvt Ltd, which conducts crop surveys using satellite imagery and field assessments.

Top basmati belts

Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh continue to be the top basmati-producing states. Punjab led last year with 1 million hectares under basmati, followed by Haryana (0.97 million hectares) and western UP (0.81 million hectares). Amritsar district alone accounted for the largest basmati area in Punjab, followed by Muktsar and Tarn Taran.

In 2024, long-duration basmati varieties accounted for 53.7% of the total area of 2.88 million hectares under basmati cultivation, while short-duration types covered 46.3%. This year, with the expected rise in acreage, the share could increase further.

In Punjab, 1 million hectares out of a total 3.27 million hectares under paddy were planted with basmati last year.

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Among the most widely cultivated short-duration varieties are Pusa Basmati-1509, Pusa Basmati-1692, and Pusa Basmati-1847. Pusa-1509, in particular, matures about 20 days earlier than the traditional PB-1121 variety, offering farmers significant advantages.

Many farmers in Amritsar are shifting from short-duration paddy to short-duration basmati due to better returns and less dependency on government procurement, said Arjun Singh, a farmer and sarpanch from Hoshiarnagar, Punjab.

The adoption of short-duration varieties enables the planting of short-season crops like vegetables between wheat harvesting and paddy sowing, improving farm incomes and crop diversity.

Export edge

The increase in production will cement India’s position in export market. In fiscal year 2024-25, with an export of 5.94 million tonnes of premium basmati rice, India outpaced its closest competitor, Pakistan. India has been the largest exporter of rice for a decade now. In 2023-24, the total volume of export was 5.24 million tonnes.

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Experts mentioned that although short duration paddy would witness increase in area, however its too early to say on long duration variety which is likely to see some decline this year as compared to last year.

“We foresee an increase in the area of short-duration varieties like PB-1509 and PB-1692, while long-duration varieties such as PB-1121 and PB-1401 may see a decline,” said Vijay Setia, former AIREA president.

Last year, the total area under long duration basmati was 1.58 million hectares.

Queries sent to Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare spokesperson remained unanswered.

Although, the area under basmati is irrigated but rainfall during monsoon at critical stages plays an important role in deciding the yield. In such a scenario, the arrival of monsoon which is expected to hit India’s Kerala on 27 May, five days earlier than usual is a positive sign for basmati growers. The development assumes significance as it raises hope for bumper harvests.