Leveraging the Rice Export Ban for Crop Substitution in India

Introduction Rice, scientifically called Oryza sativa , is usually associated with humid and wet climates, although not restricted to tropical zones. While some posit that rice is a descendant of wild grass from the eastern Himalayan regions, another school of thought is that rice originated in southern India, finding its way to northern India and subsequently to China, Korea, the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia around 1000 BCE. [1] Paddy, the Malay word for “rice plant,” [2] is interchangeably used with rice, specifically to describe the fields used for growing rice. Despite taking centuries to spread around the world, rice is now a primary agricultural and economic product. Besides being a staple food crop, rice is used to make ready-to-eat products like puffed rice. Rice husk, straw, and bran serve as animal and poultry feed, while rice bran oil is used in the soap industry. Given the crop’s influence over diets, cultures, and economic lifestyles worldwide, the United Nations (UN) designated 2004 as the `International Year of Rice’. [3] Rice comprises the bulk of the diet for almost 3.5 billion people, [4] with Asia having the longest continued reliance on rice for its average daily calorie intake. [5] Although the grain is grown in over 100 countries, 90 percent of the production occurs in Asia. [6] As the global population grows, the demand for rice will rise, pressuring the global agricultural chain for increased production. The disruption of factor markets and suppressed global supply in the aftermath of COVID-19 and the Ukraine-Russia crisis, amid other geopolitical strife, has put excess pressure on the rice market. [7] However, global rice production is expected to improve by 1.3 percent in FY 2023-24 due to higher producer prices, softening fertiliser costs, and continued government subsidies. [8] Rice is vital in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While about 900 million economically weak people depend on rice as either consumers or producers in the global value chain, around 400 million are directly involved in rice production. [9] Increased productivity and lower prices benefit economically weaker consumers and play a significant role in economic growth via growth linkages. As the source of 70 percent of the calorie consumption for the most marginalised populations in Asia, [10] rice is a crucial component in mitigating global hunger by providing greater food security and increased nutritional benefits. Besides directly contributing to SDG-1 (ending poverty) and SDG-2 (zero hunger), rice and its production process have implicit effects on SDG-5 (gender equality), SDG-6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG-8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG-12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG-13 (climate action), and SDG-15 (life on land). [11] For instance, despite playing a significant role in the farming, processing, and marketing processes of rice, women still face significant barriers in access to resources such as information, technology, and primary inputs. Irrigated rice fields receive almost 35 percent of the global irrigated water, [12] highlighting the need for water-saving management technologies and sustainable cropping mechanisms in its production process. As water becomes scarce and temperatures rise, this also raises questions about the sustainability of the rice sector. As such, sustainable consumption and production practices must be incorporated into the industry. International cooperation is needed to realign the rice value chain into a more sustainable practice, mainly focusing on innovations and practical research in the field (invoking SDG-17—strengthening the means of implementation and revitalising the global partnership for sustainable development).