USDA has cut its forecast for India’s rice production in 2017-18 by 2.5 mln tn to 107.5 MMT. The cut in rice crop estimate may be due to unfavourable weather conditions in southern and eastern parts of the country. While scanty rains have hurt growth of the crop in Tamil Nadu, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, excess rainfall spelt trouble in Bihar. In eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, the country’s largest rice producer, nearly 25% of the crop has been hit due to unavailability of water.