Kharif چاول

Rice

Basmati and coarse varieties — a leading export and a staple.

Season: Kharif
Nursery: May – Jun
Harvest: Oct – Nov
Duration: ~120 days

Grown in: Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan. Windows are indicative and shift with district, altitude and season.

Overview

Why rice matters

Rice is the major Kharif cereal and a significant export earner, with aromatic Basmati concentrated in the Kalar tract of Punjab and coarse and hybrid varieties dominant in Sindh. It is the most water-intensive field crop in the system.

A farmer working in a flooded rice paddy

Growing conditions

Climate and soil

Climate

Warm and humid; 25–35 °C through vegetative growth with cool nights during grain filling, which is what gives Basmati its aroma.

Soil

Heavy clay and clay loam that hold standing water. Tolerates a pH up to 8.5 and moderate salinity better than most cereals.

Planting & sowing

Raise nursery May to mid-June; transplant 25–30 day old seedlings from mid-June to mid-July. Two to three seedlings per hill at 22×22 cm. Direct seeding is a lower-water alternative where drills are available.

Irrigation

Maintain 5–8 cm standing water through tillering. Alternate wetting and drying can cut water use materially without yield loss on suitable soils. Drain 10–15 days before harvest.

Fertilisation

About 45 kg N, 35 kg P₂O₅ and 25 kg K₂O per acre for Basmati; higher nitrogen for coarse types. Apply nitrogen in three splits: basal, active tillering and panicle initiation. Zinc is commonly deficient in rice soils.