Rice is main crop of Assam and three crops are grown in a year i.e. Autumn, Winter and Summer crops. In Assam state rice productivity is medium-low to very low, therefore, average yield of rice is very poor. It is grown in 23 districts of the state. Out of this 11 districts are coming under medium low productivity i.e., yield ranging between 1,500-2,000 kg/ha. Average area under rice in medium-low productivity group comprising of 11 districts during triennium ending 2000-2001 was 10.20 lakh hectares, which was 39.5% of average area under rice i.e., 25.82 lakh hectares in the state during the same period. Average production of rice during the same triennium was 17.92 lakh tonnes, which was 48.4% of average production of rice in the state. Average productivity of rice in medium-low productivity group comprising of 11 districts during triennium ending 2000-2001 was 1,757 kg/ha, which was more than the state's average productivity of 1,435 kg/ha but less than the national average productivity of 1,947 kg/ha during the same period.

Another 11 districts are falling under low productivity group i.e., yield ranging between 1,000-1,500 kg/ha. Average area under rice in low productivity group during triennium ending 2000-2001 was 14.63 lakh hectares, which was 56.7% of average area under rice in the state. Average production of rice in low productivity group comprising of 11 districts during triennium ending 2000-2001 was 18.15 lakh tonnes, which was 49.0% of triennium average of total production of rice in the state.

Triennium average productivity of rice in low productivity group comprising of 11 districts was 1,240 kg/ha, which was less than the state's triennium average productivity of 1,435 kg/ha.

One district is coming under very low productivity i.e., yield below 1,000 kg/ha. Average area under rice in this district during triennium ending 2000-2001 was 0.99 lakh hectares, which was 3.8% of total average rice area in the state during the same period. Triennium average production in this district was 0.98 lakh tonnes, which was 2.6% of triennium average production of rice in the State. Triennium average productivity of rice in low productivity district was 990 kg/ha, which was very much less than the average productivity of the State.

Productivity of rice in Assam is very poor, more than 50% rice cultivation in Assam is concentrated in low productivity zone and about 40% rice is cultivated in medium-low productivity zone. Thus, rice productivity of Assam is much below the average productivity of the nation. Irrigation facility is very much less in Assam, only 22% irrigation facility is available in Assam for rice crop. Besides, rice area coverage under high yielding variety is below 45%.

Area, production and productivity of rice under different productivity groups in Assam during triennium ending 2000-2001 are given in Table-3.