India has overtaken China to emerge as the world’s largest rice producer, with output touching 150.18 million tonnes, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.
China’s rice production currently stands at 145.28 million tonnes, he noted.
Highlighting India’s progress in agricultural research, the minister said the country has achieved significant success in developing high-yielding seeds and has also established itself as a leading exporter of rice in global markets.
Chouhan was speaking at an event in the national capital where he launched 184 improved varieties of 25 field crops developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). These include 122 cereal varieties, six pulses, 13 oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, six sugarcane varieties, 24 cotton varieties, and one variety each of jute and tobacco.
The Agriculture Minister directed officials to ensure the rapid dissemination of these new varieties to farmers.
Explaining their importance, he said the advanced seeds would help farmers achieve higher yields and improved quality of produce. He also urged agricultural scientists to intensify their efforts to boost the production of pulses and oilseeds, aiming to move towards self-sufficiency.
Comparison of Crop Variety Approvals
Union Minister Chouhan pointed out that 3,236 high-yielding crop varieties have been approved over the past 11 years since the Narendra Modi government came to power, compared to 3,969 varieties approved between 1969 and 2014.
According to the minister, the newly released varieties are to tackle key challenges facing Indian agriculture, including climate change, soil salinity, drought, and other biotic and abiotic stresses, while also supporting natural and organic farming practices.
He further underlined that India has transitioned from being a food-deficient nation to becoming a major supplier of agricultural commodities to global markets.
The minister stated that the country has entered a new phase of agricultural transformation, driven by the development of high-yielding and climate-resilient seeds, made possible through the combined efforts of ICAR’s all-India coordinated crop projects, state and central agricultural universities, and private seed companies.
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