Overview
- India’s rice output for 2024–25 is 150.18 million tonnes versus China’s 145.28 million, with the minister citing ample grain stocks and continued exports.
- The government released 184 ICAR-developed varieties across 25 crops, including 122 cereals, 6 pulses, 13 oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, 6 sugarcane, 24 cotton (22 Bt), and one each of jute and tobacco, noting 7,205 varieties notified since 1969 and 3,236 approved since 2014.
- Officials described the new seeds as climate‑resilient, high‑yielding, and resistant to major pests and diseases, with the goal of lifting production and farmer incomes.
- Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said seed multiplication rates have been raised 1.5 to 2 times, with national and state seed corporations tasked to supply quality seed at affordable prices; the NSC also announced a final dividend of Rs 33.26 crore for FY 2024–25.
- At the event, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticized the Congress over its stance on the Viksit Bharat rural jobs Bill, framing the agriculture push within broader rural development policy.