PM Modi to release 109 climate resilient crop seeds developed by ICAR, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Indian Council of Agricultural Research develops 109 high-yielding crop varieties, to be released by PM Modi for farmers.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed high-yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crop seeds, and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release these 109 crops for the farmers on Sunday morning.

Addressing a press conference in Bhopal, Mr. Chouhan said, “Recently, 109 new varieties of crop seeds were prepared. Our scientists have researched and developed less water-consuming and high-producing seed varieties. I am happy to inform you that tomorrow at 11 a.m., Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji will issue them for farmers.”

Mr. Chouhan, listing the different varieties of seeds, said that it includes a variety of paddy that requires 30% less water than the usual.

As per a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office through Press Information Bureau (PIB), Mr. Modi will release the crops at India Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi, and will also interact with farmers and scientists.

“Prime Minister will release 109 varieties of 61 crops which will include 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops. Among the field crops, seeds of various cereals, including millets, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, fibre and other potential crops, will be released. Among the horticultural crops, different varieties of fruits, vegetable crops, plantation crops, tuber crops, spices, flowers and medicinal crops will be released,” the PIB statement read. 

Mr. Chouhan said that the Prime Minister will release the seeds after visiting the fields of the ICAR.

“The aim is to ensure that the benefits of science and research directly reach the farmers,” the Minister added.