Agriculture — Strong prices to lift India's basmati rice acreage despite erratic monsoon

India's basmati rice acreage is projected to increase during the current kharif season as remunerative prices and strong export demand encourage farmers to switch from conventional paddy. The shift is occurring even as overall paddy sowing is delayed by an uneven monsoon. Last season, premium basmati varieties fetched prices up to ₹4,000 per quintal, well above the government's minimum support price for common paddy.