Chhattisgarh eyeing to step up paddy production by 2% this Kharif season

State has set a target of 8.2 million tonnes; Last year, it was among top 3 rice-producing states

Chhattisgarh, one of the largest contributors of rice in India, has set a target to produce 8.2 million tonnes (mt) of paddy in the upcoming kharif season this year.

The output target is two per cent higher than the state's paddy output during the last Kharif season.

Chhattisgarh, known as the rice bowl of the country, had produced 8.04 mt of rice and was among the top three rice-contributing states last year.

According to the procurement figures released by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Punjab led the country with a contribution of 11 million tonnes of rice to