New Delhi: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, on Sunday unveiled 184 advanced varieties of 25 field crops developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at the AP Shinde Auditorium in the NASC Complex, New Delhi.
Addressing the occasion, Chauhan highlighted India’s transformation from a food-deficit country to a global food supplier, marking a historic milestone in agricultural growth and food security. He pointed out that India has surpassed China in rice production, becoming the world’s largest producer with 150.18 million tonnes compared to China’s 145.28 million tonnes, thereby strengthening national food security and India’s role as a key global food supplier.
The minister emphasized that agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy and seeds are its soul. Good quality seeds form the foundation of productivity, nutrition, and food security. Chauhan stressed that agricultural research should directly benefit farmers, setting a clear goal that the newly released varieties should reach farmers within three years. “Research is meaningful only when its benefits reach the fields in time,” he said.
He also underlined the government’s focus on nutritional security, stating that India’s objective is not merely to produce enough food but to ensure nutritious and high-quality crops with special attention to pulses and oilseeds.
Calling for enhanced coordination between central and state governments, agricultural universities, ICAR institutions, and the private sector, Chauhan urged accelerated efforts in seed production, demonstration, and farmer awareness. Reiterating government goals, he said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India is rapidly progressing towards becoming a self-reliant, strong, and developed nation, with farmers at the centre of this transformation.
Since the notification of crop varieties began in 1969, a total of 7,205 crop varieties have been notified over 57 years. Of these, 3,236 varieties were notified in the last 11-12 years alone, including 1,661 in the past five years, reflecting the accelerated pace of variety development.
The recently released 184 varieties include 122 cereals, 6 pulses, 13 oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, 6 sugarcane, 24 cotton (including 22 Bt cotton varieties), and one variety each of jute and tobacco. Developed by ICAR institutes, state and central agricultural universities, and private seed companies, these varieties are climate-resilient, high-yielding, and resistant to major pests and diseases.
These new varieties have been developed to address challenges such as climate change, soil salinity, drought, and other biotic and abiotic stresses, while also supporting natural and organic farming methods.
Many varieties possess special traits including tolerance to salinity, drought, low phosphorus, herbicides, pests and diseases, early maturity, biofortification, high protein content, non-shattering grains, and multi-cut fodder capability. The varieties cover improved rice, maize, millet, pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton, jute, and fodder crops, tailored to specific stresses and production systems.
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