ICAR developing new rice varieties

As part of its efforts towards nutritional security, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is developing new nutrient-rich rice varieties, according to its deputy director-general (crop sciences) JS Sandhu.

"We are moving from food security to nutritional security. We have identified two varieties of rice that are rich in nutritional content, and are currently developing them," he said at the inauguration of Golden Jubilee Annual Rice Research Group meeting at the Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) here on Sunday.

"India achieved food security and the next step is that we should move towards nutrition security. The rice varieties that are available now in India lack protein content. We are increasing protein content in the new zinc-rich rice varieties that we are developing," he said.

According to him, India currently has 44 million hectare (ha) area in rice cultivation, and there was no increase in the area since the last 15 years.

Stating that owing to unseasonal rains and hailstorms, country's foodgrain production was estimated to slightly decline to 257 million tonne this year, Sandhu said foodgrain production stood at 265.57 million tonne in 2013-14, of which 106.65 million tonne was rice.

"New technological tools have to be used to enhance rice productivity. We can get arms and other things from outside (other countries), but not foodgrains, rice in particular," said ICAR director-general S Ayyappan.

According to IIRR project director V Ravindra Babu, till date, 1,100 rice varieties, including 75 hybrids, and several other technologies have been developed and made available to the rice farming community.