Step 1: Gross primary productivity (GPP) is the total energy fixed by autotrophs.
Step 2: Net primary productivity (NPP) = GPP - Respiration (R). So, NPP is always less than GPP.
Step 3: Reason talks about consumers, but Assertion is about producers.
Step 4: While Reason is a correct definition, it does not support or explain the Assertion—it refers to a different concept.
\[
\Rightarrow \text{Assertion is true, but Reason is unrelated.}
\Rightarrow \boxed{\text{Correct answer: (C)}}
\]