<P> India is one of the world 's largest producers of rice and brown rice , accounting for 20 % of all world rice production . Rice is India 's pre-eminent crop , and is the staple food of the people of the eastern and southern parts of the country . Production increased from 53.6 million tons in FY 1980 to 74.6 million tons in year 1990 , a 39 percent increase over the decade . By year 1992 , rice production had reached 181.9 kg , second in the world only to China with its 182 kg . Since 1950 the increase has been more than 350 percent . Most of this increase was the result of an increase in yields ; the number of hectares increased only 0 percent during this period . Yields increased from 1,336 kilograms per hectare in FY 1980 to 1,751 kilograms per hectare in FY 1990 . The per - hectare yield increased more than 262 percent between 1950 and 1992 . </P>
what is the rank of india in rice production
second in the world only to China