The government is targeting to cover almost 25 per cent of this year’s kharif paddy area with climate-resistant seeds as it looks to build on the success of such seeds in a bumper wheat harvest this year, a senior government official said.
In the just concluded rabi sowing season, almost 75 per cent of the total area under wheat was under climate-resistant varieties, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Himanshu Pathak said today.
As a result, total wheat production in the 2024-25 marketing season is estimated to be a record almost 113 million tonnes.
Pathak was addressing reporters on the sidelines of a press conference to celebrate the 96th Foundation Day of the country’s premier agriculture research body.
Climate-resistant paddy seed varieties can withstand drought, prolonged lodging, and submersion, Pathak said.
Last year, around 16 per cent of the total kharif paddy area was under climate-resistant varieties.
India, the world’s second-largest rice producer after China, cultivates paddy on over 41 million hectares during the kharif season.
Research studies indicate that climate change could reduce rice yields in India by 3-5 per cent under a medium emissions scenario, and up to 31.3 per cent by 2030 under high emissions.
India’s estimated rice production for the 2023-24 crop year (July-June) stands at 136.7 million tonnes.
The top rice-producing states include West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
The ICAR is also working on a plan to develop 100 new seed varieties and an equal number of farm technologies within a 100-day timeframe to bolster India’s agricultural sector.
The initiative, part of the government’s 100-day action plan, primarily focuses on climate-resilient and biofortified seed varieties, besides farm technologies.
“We’re actively working on two key action plans: ‘100 new seed varieties in 100 days’ and ‘100 technologies in 100 days’,” ICAR DG Pathak said.
He indicated that ICAR is seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s time to unveil these innovations, likely in mid-September when the 100-day period concludes.
With its workforce of 5,521 scientists nationwide, ICAR is developing new seed varieties across various crops, including rice, wheat, and horticulture. The technologies under development span water management, mechanisation, and plant protection.
ICAR also plans to expand its oilseeds hub programme to 174 districts this year and create model village hubs for pulse seeds in 130 districts.
First Published: Jul 15 2024 | 7:50 PM IST
