Why is rice a staple food in southern and northeastern India?

Rice is a staple food in southern and northeastern India primarily because the geography and climate of these regions are highly conducive to its cultivation. Unlike wheat, which thrives in the fertile, well-irrigated alluvial plains of northern India, rice requires large amounts of water to grow.1

The western coast of India and the hilly terrain of the northeast receive heavy rainfall, providing the necessary water supply for rice paddies. In these areas, rice is grown in terraced fields or on coastal plains, often utilizing the seasonal rains brought by the monsoon. Because rice is well-suited to these specific environmental conditions, it has become the foundational grain for the local diets in these regions, where it is typically served with accompaniments like sambhar in the south or freshwater fish in the northeast.123