Basmati rice is mostly grown in the traditional areas of north and north western part of Indian sub-continent for many centuries. The super-fine best quality of basmati rice is produced on either side of Indus valley in India. Its different varieties are mostly cultivated in the districts of Karnal, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Amritsar, Fatehgarh, Gurudaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ropa etc. The total area presently under cultivation of Basmati rice is about 7,76,000 hectares in India and its production estimated at about 11,96,000 tonnes during 1998-99. The largest area under Basmati rice is in the state of Haryana (60%) followed by Uttar Pradesh (17.1%) and Punjab (16.1%). So, the correct answer is option D.
