Shivraj Singh Chouhan
NEW DELHI: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday released 184 new varieties of 25 different crops to increase productivity, reduce input costs and address climate change . The new varieties included 122 of cereal crops, 22 of Bt cotton – the only genetically modified crop whose commercial cultivation is allowed in India – and 13 of oilseeds, among others. The new Bt cotton varieties are updated transgenic versions that will not only increase yield but also guard crops against pests, insects and weeds, reducing farmers’ overall input cost .The 184 new varieties, developed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research institutions (60 varieties), state and central agriculture universities (62 varieties) and private seed companies (62 varieties), will reach farmers for commercial cultivation within three years.Among the 122 new varieties of cereal crops, 60 are of rice, 50 of maize, four of sorghum, five of pearl millet, and one each of ragi, small millet and proso millet. More than 50% (62) of the new cereal varieties belong to the coarse grains category, in sync with the govt’s plan to focus more on nutri-cereals and climate-resilient crops.Underlining India’s transformation from “a food-deficit country to a global food provider” over the years, Chouhan noted that India’s rice production reached 150 million tonnes while China’s production was 145 million tonnes. “This has also strengthened India’s role as world’s food supplier,” he said.
