Total rice planted area has shrunk 13% due to lack of rainfall Traders are concerned that India may restrict rice exports Workers clean rice paddy at a wholesale market in the outskirts in New Delhi.Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg Rice could emerge as the next challenge for global food supply as a shortage of rain in parts of India, by far the world’s biggest exporter, has caused planting area to shrink to the smallest in about three years. The threat to India’s rice production comes at a time when countries are grappling with soaring food costs and rampant inflation. Total rice planted area has declined 13% so far this season due to a lack of rainfall in some areas, including West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, which account for a quarter of India’s output. Traders are worried that a drop in rice production will complicate India’s inflation fight and trigger restrictions on […]