By India New England News 

NEW DELHI — India has surpassed China to become the world’s largest rice producer, with output reaching 150.18 million tonnes, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.

Chouhan said China’s rice production currently stands at 145.28 million tonnes, adding that India’s achievement reflects major progress in the development of high-yielding seed varieties. He noted that the country has also emerged as a leading exporter of rice to global markets.

The minister was speaking at an event in the national capital where he launched 184 improved varieties of 25 field crops developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The newly released varieties include 122 cereals, six pulses, 13 oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, six sugarcane varieties, 24 cotton varieties, and one variety each of jute and tobacco.

Chouhan directed officials to ensure that the new varieties reach farmers quickly, saying they would help boost yields and improve the quality of agricultural produce. He also urged scientists to place greater emphasis on increasing the production of pulses and oilseeds to help make the country self-sufficient in those crops.

Highlighting progress over the past decade, the minister said 3,236 high-yielding crop varieties have been approved in the 11 years since the Narendra Modi government came to power, compared with 3,969 varieties approved between 1969 and 2014.

According to officials, the newly developed varieties are designed to address challenges such as climate change, soil salinity, drought, and other biotic and abiotic stresses, while also supporting natural and organic farming practices.

Chouhan said India has transitioned from being a food-deficient nation to becoming a major supplier of agricultural products to global markets. He described the current phase as a new agricultural revolution driven by high-yielding and climate-resilient seeds, crediting the achievement to the combined efforts of national crop research programs, agricultural universities, and private seed companies.

(Source: IANS)

Published Date: January 6, 2026