Overview
- Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced in New Delhi that India’s 2024–25 rice output reached 150.18 million tonnes versus China’s 145.28 million tonnes.
- Alongside the announcement, ICAR-backed institutions released 184 improved varieties across 25 crops, including 122 cereals, 24 cotton lines (22 Bt), 13 oilseeds, six pulses and six sugarcane.
- Authorities directed rapid dissemination to farms, with seed multiplication increased 1.5–2 times and national and state seed corporations tasked with supplying quality seed at affordable prices.
- Since the gazette notification system began in 1969, 7,205 crop varieties have been notified, including 3,236 approvals since 2014 under the current government.
- Experts welcomed the production gains but cautioned about groundwater depletion and urged region-specific, climate-smart adoption such as short-duration and flood-tolerant rice for vulnerable areas.