Rice (Oryza Sativa) is the second highest produced grain in the world after corn (maize). It is the most important grain with regard to human nutrition and calorific intake, providing more than one fifth of the calories consumed by worldwide by the human species.Andhra Pradesh ranking 3rd position in Production. And produces 128.95 lakh tons of rice in India. It is a leading rice producer with a production of 12% of total rice produced in the country.
Rice is the Principal food crop cultivated throughout the state providing food for its growing population, fodder to the cattle and employment to the rural masses.In Andhra Pradesh paddy is the major crop cultivated in more than 22 lakh hectares during Kharif and Rabi seasons. 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh are producing rice crop out of which West Godavari, East Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Chittoor are the major producers. In fact West Godavari, East Godavari and Krishna are three most important rice producing districts not only of Andhra Pradesh but of the whole of India. West Godavari, and East Godavari districts considered as rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh.
To Sub-serve the interests of farming community of Andhra Pradesh and also ensuring supply of seed to the farmers and also accelerating spread of high yielding varieties. APSSDCL has organizing certified seed production through individual growers in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, West Godavari, Krishna and Chittoor districts.On an average APSSDCL producing and distributing 2 lakh quintals of paddy through subsidy and general sales of different varieties which suits to different agro climatic zones of Andhra Pradesh.
Proper planning and execution of time bound seed Production of different varieties and introducing New varieties in Paddy such as MTU-1075, MTU-1153, MTU-1156 and MTU-1121 etc, As a new initiative to go for general sale from Kharif 2020 distribution season APSSDCL introducing new packing sizes of 10 and 20 kgs to cater the needs of farmers A.P.