Haryana has achieved the highest ever productivity of kharif foodgrains-2012-13 and also recorded the highest ever rice production of 39.76 lakh tonnes since the inception of the state in 1966. This has been achieved despite the state received about 36.8 per cent less rainfall as against the normal rainfall from May to September, 2012.

A spokesman for the Haryana Agriculture Department said in case of coarse rice, 23.54 lakh tonnes of production with a productivity of 40.03 quintals per hectare in an area of 5.88 lakh hectares had been achieved. “This has remained highest both in production and productivity since 1966-67,” he said. Similarly, the production of basmati rice was also achieved at 16.22 lakh tonnes with a productivity of 25.87 quintals per hectare in an area of 6.27 lakh hectares which was also the highest since 1966-67.