Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 5: India has overtaken China to become the world’s largest rice producer, achieving a record output of 150.18 million tonnes, union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced. China’s rice production during the same period stood at 145.28 million tonnes. The minister attributed India’s success to the development of high-yielding seeds, noting that the country has also emerged as a major rice exporter in global markets.

Chouhan unveiled 184 improved varieties of 25 field crops developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at an event in New Delhi. The new releases include 122 cereals, 6 pulses, 13 oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, 6 sugarcane varieties, 24 cotton types, and one variety each of jute and tobacco. He directed officials to ensure that these advanced seeds reach farmers quickly, emphasizing that they will boost yields and improve the quality of produce.

The minister also encouraged farm scientists to focus on increasing pulse and oilseed production to achieve self-sufficiency.

Highlighting India’s progress, Chouhan said that 3,236 high-yielding varieties have been approved over the last 11 years under the Narendra Modi government, compared to 3,969 varieties released between 1969 and 2014. The newly developed seeds are designed to tackle challenges such as climate change, soil salinity, drought, and other environmental stresses, while supporting natural and organic farming practices.

The minister underscored that India has transitioned from a food-deficient nation to a leading supplier of agricultural products worldwide. He described this milestone as a new era of agricultural revolution, driven by the development of high-yielding and climate-resilient seeds, crediting the achievement to the combined efforts of ICAR’s all-India coordinated crop projects, state and central agricultural universities, and private seed companies.