India is known as the world’s largest producer and exporter of rice, with a record of 154.024 million tonnes, according to the PIB.
But do you know which place is known as the Rice Bowl of Kerala? As we know, the highest rice-producing regions in India are Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal.
But the place in Kerala is known for the highest rice production in Kerala and is also known for its unique geographical location, and this place is Kuttanad, which comes under the Alappuzha district of Kerala.
Which Place is Known as the Rice Bowl of Kerala?
Kuttanad is known as the Rice Bowl of Kerala. It is located in the Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta districts in Kerala.
Rice farming is practised here 1.2 to 3 metres below sea level, which makes this place very unique for rice farming in this region.
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Facts At a Glance: Rice Bowl of Kerala–Kuttanad
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Category
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Key Facts
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Official Designation
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Rice Bowl of Kerala
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Geographical Spread
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Spread over Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta districts
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Elevation / Altitude
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Lowest altitude in India (approx. 1.2 to 2 meters below sea level)
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Primary Specialty
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Below-sea-level farming utilizing dykes and polders (padasekharams)
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Feeding Rivers
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Pamba, Meenachil, and Achankovil (along with Manimala) flowing into Vembanad Lake
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Global Recognitions
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FAO Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) and part of the Vembanad-Kol Ramsar Wetland Site
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Water Control Infrastructure
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Thanneermukkam Bund (prevents saltwater intrusion) and Thottappally Spillway (flood relief)
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Major Cultural Highlights
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Hub for traditional Vallamkali (Snake Boat Races) and home of literary icon Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (Chemmeen)
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Where is Kuttanad?
Kuttanad is situated at the heart of the Kerala backwaters. It is very close to Vembanad Lake, which is the longest lake in India.
This place also has a very unique landscape, as the whole place just looks like it is being bathed in water.
This place is surrounded by water and is just flowing like a river. The land was just part of the sea. Over hundreds of years, it was filled with seawater, which made it fertile land.
The Rivers That Feed Kuttanad
Four rivers bring fresh water and fertile soil into this region:
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River
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What it does for Kuttanad
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Pamba
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Brings silt that keeps soil fertile
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Achankovil
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Feeds water into the paddy fields
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Manimala
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Supports the wetland ecosystem
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Meenachil
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Adds to the Vembanad backwater system
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Kerala's Rice Production, Official Data
Here is data from the Department of Economics and Statistics, Government of Kerala, published in the Economic Review 2024.
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Year
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Area under rice (lakh hectares)
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Rice Production (lakh tonnes)
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Productivity (kg/hectare)
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2022-23
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1.90
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5.92
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3,117
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2023-24
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1.78
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5.30
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2,963
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Which District Grows the Most Rice in Kerala?
Here is something interesting. A lot of students assume Alappuzha (where most of Kuttanad lies) produces the most rice in Kerala, since it is called the Rice Bowl. But as per the same Economic Review 2024, that is not fully true anymore.
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Rank
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District
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Note
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1
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Palakkad
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Highest area and production in the state
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2
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Alappuzha
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Home to Kuttanad, production actually went up this year
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3
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Thrissur
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Among top rice producing districts
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4
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Kottayam
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Also part of the Kuttanad wetland belt
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