PM releases 109 high yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crops

New Delhi:11/8/24:rime Minister Shri Narendra Modi released 109 high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified varieties of crops at India Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi earlier today.

Prime Minister also interacted with the farmers and scientists on the occasion. Discussing the importance of these new crop varieties, Prime Minister stressed the significance of value addition in agriculture. The farmers said that these new varieties will be highly beneficial as they will help reduce their expenditure and positively impact the environment.

Prime Minister discussed the importance of millet and underlined how people are moving towards nutritious food. The farmers appreciated the efforts undertaken by the government to promote natural farming.

The prime minister suggested that KVKs should proactively inform farmers about the benefits of the new varieties being developed every month to enhance awareness of their benefits.

The 109 varieties of 61 crops released by the Prime Minister included 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops. Among the field crops, seeds of various bowls of cereal including millets, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, fiber, and other potential crops were released. Among the horticultural crops, different varieties of fruits, vegetable crops, plantation crops, tuber crops, spices, flowers, and medicinal crops were released.

Later, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed the media, stating that today is significant for farmers since the 109 varieties of 61 crops that have been released will help them produce more, earn more money, and spend less.  Shri Chouhan said that the seeds of these crops are climate-friendly and can yield good crops even in adverse weather. He also informed me that these varieties are rich in nutrition. Today’s program is the best example of lab to land program.

Responding to inquiries from the media, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan declared that within three years, farmers will receive seeds from all 109 varieties. Additionally, he said that imports of exotic mango varieties are not currently necessary because our variety is more productive, more aesthetically pleasing, and has superior keeping qualities, all of which can increase farmers’ income. All of these types are appropriate for natural farming, and research on this topic is ongoing.

On one day each month, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, proposed that experts from KVK, ICAR, and state agricultural universities engage with farmers. The goal of this exchange should be to tackle a current issue related to agriculture and attempt to identify answers through mutual learning.

Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary and Shri Ram Nath Thakur and DG ICAR& Secretary, DARE, Dr. Himanshu Pathak also grace the occasion along with 30 farmers from nearby states and all the DDGs and other officials of ICAR.