While concerns regarding hybrid rice quality and yield persist, experts believe it has the potential to ensure sustainable farming, improve farmer income, and conserve water resources.

Written by Anju Agnihotri Chaba.

Surinder Singh, a farmer from Kherabad village in Punjab’s Kapurthala district, owns around 25 acres of land where he has been cultivating hybrid rice varieties for the past five years. He faced a cut of Rs 200 per quintal at the time of procurement last year due to some objections raised by rice millers regarding the milling out-turn ratio (post-milling yield) of hybrid rice varieties. Nevertheless, he is determined to grow hybrid varieties because of the excellent results he has been getting – around 35 quintals per acre, about 7 to 9 quintals more than the yield from traditional varieties.

Surinder has been cultivating ‘Sava’ varieties like 7501 and 7301, which mature in 125 to 130 days, including the nursery period. “These varieties require approximately 35 kg less seed due to their shorter crop cycle, and offer good water-saving benefits,” he said.

He added that hybrid varieties do not require additional pesticide sprays for pests or diseases. Singh urged the government to intervene and provide hybrid rice seeds to farmers at the reduced rates, as dealers often sell these seeds at inflated prices, which needs to be regulated.

Another farmer, Shubhdeep Singh from Bhaini Sahib in Ludhiana, who owns 10 acres of land, has been growing Sava 134 and Sava 7301 for the last three years. He reported yields of 36 to 37 quintals per acre, significantly higher than traditional varieties, while also using fewer fertilizers and consuming less water due to their early maturity. However, Shubhdeep expressed concerns about the non-availability of these seeds to most farmers, besides the black marketing of seeds by dealers. He said he faced no deductions because he sold his crop only after it properly matured in the field.

Farmer Harpal Singh from Bathinda too confirmed that hybrid rice has significantly boosted his yields while slashing water consumption. Jaswinder Singh from Bhorchi Rajputan village in Amritsar and Jagtar Singh from Gajewas village in Patiala shared similar positive experiences with hybrid rice.

Even as many more farmers are trying to grow hybrid rice varieties, dealers are taking advantage of their desperation and charging hefty amounts for the seeds.

Meanwhile, some rice millers in Punjab raised concerns about the milling efficiency of hybrid rice last year, specifically regarding its milling out-turn ratio (OTR). The millers even stopped housing government rice in their mills last year as the government was procuring hybrid varieties.

Hybrid rice varieties, such as Sava 127, Sava 134, and Sava 7501, have been notified by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) for cultivation in Punjab. OTR of these hybrids is more than 67 per cent and broken rice is only 20-21 per cent, which meets the standards set by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), as per reports.

The science behind hybrid rice

Hybrid rice is a cross-bred variety created by crossing two genetically distinct rice lines to improve traits such as higher yields, better resistance to stress, and faster growth cycles. Unlike traditional rice varieties, hybrid rice is engineered to withstand climate stress, such as drought and diseases, while boosting productivity per hectare.

In the face of mounting agricultural challenges, including depleting groundwater levels, need for higher crop yields and growing area under water-intensive paddy crops, coupled with concerns from rice millers over hybrid rice seed varieties, the Federation of Seed Industry India (FSII) has written to the President of the Punjab Rice Millers Association, with a copy to Punjab government officials, asserting that hybrid rice technology could save the state’s agricultural future.

While concerns regarding hybrid rice quality and yield persist, experts and progressive farmers believe that this technology has the potential to ensure sustainable farming, improve farmer income, and conserve water resources.

Water conservation and higher yields

Punjab has long struggled with declining groundwater levels, especially when the area under rice is growing with every passing year. Traditional paddy varieties are known to consume vast amounts of water but hybrid rice, due to its shorter crop cycle, is more water-efficient, said experts.

Agriculture experts also argue that issues raised by millers are not necessarily related to the hybrid varieties themselves but are more likely linked to factors such as harvest moisture, milling time moisture, and machinery calibration.

“High-yielding, stress-tolerant hybrid rice varieties can produce up to 15-20 per cent higher yields while using 30 per cent less water compared to traditional varieties. This water-saving feature is vital in a state where water scarcity is a growing concern,” said Ajai Rana, chairman of the Federation of Seed Industry of India.

Rana emphasised that hybrid rice could significantly improve the livelihoods of farmers, with farmers earning Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per acre, thanks to increased yields and the reduced need for water. Additionally, the shorter growing period allows farmers more time for stubble management, helping to mitigate the environmental issue of crop residue burning.

Adoption of hybrid rice in Punjab

Currently, hybrid rice is cultivated on only 3-3.5 lakh acres out of the 75 lakh acres dedicated to rice farming in Punjab. Senior officials from the Punjab Agriculture Department said expanding hybrid rice cultivation could boost rice production, which is around 12.5 million tonnes currently, without the need for additional land, addressing both yield and water usage concerns.

Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), Ludhiana, has several short-duration varieties like PR 126 which are good in yield but millers also raised questions over the variety last year.

The Punjab Agriculture Department has acknowledged the challenges in adopting hybrid seeds, which include practical and perceptual barriers. On the practical side, farmers require access to quality hybrid seeds, proper training, and support for a smooth transition to new technologies. On the perceptual side, many farmers remain hesitant to adopt unfamiliar varieties, fearing unstable yields or higher costs.

Rana said government and institutional support is crucial for hybrid rice adoption. This support could include educational initiatives, financial incentives, subsidies, and research to develop more high-yielding hybrid varieties. Improving the infrastructure for seed distribution and post-harvest handling would also help alleviate milling concerns, he added.

“Hybrid rice technology has already proven successful in other parts of India, such as Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, where rice millers report fewer milling issues and better grain quality. By expanding hybrid rice cultivation in Punjab, similar successes could be achieved,” he said, adding that proper knowledge, training, and resources must be provided to the farmers.

He also mentioned that countries such as China and the USA have average productivity ranges of 7-9 metric tonnes per hectare due to the adoption of hybrid rice seeds, whereas India’s rice productivity is only about 4.3 tonnes per hectare.

Published Date: March 8, 2025