Explanation:

Paddy of the traditional kind has been cultivated for long in the eastern and northern parts of the state. However, the central Narmada region, including the districts of Raisen, Hoshangabad, Narsinghpur and Harda-of late, the most prosperous areas for agriculture in MP-took to rice cultivation in a big way, preparing the ground for a transformation. Today, produce is being procured from farmers of this region by numerous branded rice companies, mainly for export. While procurement prices depend on global factors, the crop has offered unprecedentedly high returns-as much as Rs 4,500 a quintal, or Rs 90,000 per acre-which is six times more than soyabean. The introduction of long grain rice, such as Basmati, has ensured a productivity increase from 6.6 quintals per hectare in 2002-03 to 24.5 quintals per hectare in 2014-15.