Paddy

Paddy is a term used for a flooded field where rice is grown, particularly in Asia. It also refers to the harvested rice grain that has not yet been milled, commonly called rough rice or paddy rice. Paddy cultivation relies on maintaining shallow standing water in fields to suppress weeds and support the growth of many rice varieties.

Paddy fields are typically leveed and may be terraced on hillsides or laid out in flat lowland areas. Water management is central to production: fields are submerged during much of the growing season and drained before harvest. Rice seedlings are often raised in nurseries and then transplanted into the fields, although direct seeding is also practiced. Crop cycles vary by variety and climate, commonly ranging from three to six months.

Global production is concentrated in Asia. Major producers include China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Myanmar, with smaller but growing output in Africa and the Americas. Paddy systems influence rural economies, labor patterns, and land use in many regions.

Harvested paddy grain is hulled to become brown rice and then milled to produce white rice. The term "paddy" is also used in some contexts to refer specifically to unhulled rough rice. Environmental considerations include methane emissions from flooded paddies and substantial water use; practices such as alternate wetting and drying or aerobic rice aim to reduce emissions and conserve water.

Etymology: The word paddy comes from Malay or Indonesian padi, referring to the rice plant or paddy field, and entered English during colonial contact with Southeast Asia.