Obtaining a secure and adequate supply of a traded commodity, be it food or fuel, is generally a problem prevalent amongst poor people, poor regions or poor nations. With the power to pay the price the rich often find willing suppliers for what they want. The World Energy Assessment (UNDP 1999) report defines energy security as: “the continuous availability of energy in varied forms in sufficient quantities at reasonable prices”. This definition needs to be modified to better reflect our situation in India.

Rice, India’s major cereal crop, occupies about 23.3 percent of gross cropped area of the country. Rice contributes to 43 percent of the total food grain production and 46 percent of the total cereal production in India. Among rice growing countries, India has the largest area under the rice crop and ranks second in production next only to China.