RICE

India has become the world's largest rice producer, beating China, with a total output of 150.18 million tonnes, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday, as he released 184 new varieties of 25 crops. These new high-yielding seed varieties would boost crop production and enhance farmers' income, he said, while directing the ministry officials to ensure that these new varieties reach farmers quickly. The minister unveiled 184 improved varieties of 25 field crops developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research at an event held in the national capital, according to an official statement. Addressing the event, Chouhan said the country has achieved great success in the development of high-yielding seeds. Since the gazette notification process began in 1969, a total of 7,205 crop varieties have been notified, including rice, wheat, sorghum, maize, pulses, oilseeds, fiber crops, among others. Chouhan informed that 3,236 high-yielding varieties have been ..

Exporters welcomed India's decision to make APEDA registration mandatory for non-basmati rice exports, saying it will aid transparency with minimal cost impact on trade

State reserves of rice, including unmilled paddy, totalled a record 48.2 million metric tons as of September 1, far exceeding the government's target of 13.5 million tons for July 1

The Centre has set a rice procurement target of 46.34 million tonnes for 2025-26, slightly below last year, and fixed a millet target of 1.91 million tonnes to aid crop diversification

India on Monday agreed to supply fortified rice to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to aid the food and nutritional requirements of the most vulnerable populations in crisis-hit zones globally. A letter of intent (LoI) was signed between India's Food Ministry and WFP here, underscoring the strength of global partnerships. "This LoI lays the ground to ensure a dependable supply of foodgrains for humanitarian distribution," WFP said in a statement. The initiative signifies the culmination of discussions at the February 2025 Executive Board side event in Rome, where representatives from the Indian government and WFP explored ways to collaborate. By sourcing rice from India, WFP will utilise the resources of an agricultural surplus nation to deliver life-saving aid and make tangible progress against hunger. "India is committed to the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam the earth is one family and collective responsibility towards each other and their shared future. The country's ...

Indian rice millers and exporters are upbeat about Bangladesh's "plan to import 9 lakh tonnes of rice", anticipating a boost in demand and better prices for the cereal, stakeholders said on Sunday. With India accounting for 46 per cent of global rice exports, the country is expected to "emerge as the primary beneficiary of the move for its proximity, availability, and competitive pricing", they said. "Of the total import plan, 4 lakh tonnes will be procured directly by the Bangladesh government through international tenders, while another 5 lakh tonnes will be imported by private traders of the neighbouring country. The decision comes earlier than usual, amid fear of crop loss due to heavy rain that could impact Bangladesh's Amon paddy currently being sown," Ricevilla Foods CEO Suraj Agarwal told PTI. Jai Baba Bakreswar Rice Mill Director Rahul Agarwal said the rice industry in the country, especially in Bengal, is well-positioned to benefit from the proposed plan by the Bangladesh

Inventories totaled almost 39 million tonnes this month, according to the state-owned Food Corporation of India

Centre has assured multiple times that all IPR concerns linked to gene-edited rice will be addressed and farmers will not face any licensing burden

Since India is also the world's second-largest producer, exporter of wheat, it merits to be counted among the world's major food grain powerhouses, and a key player in the international food market

Record rice stocks will help the world's biggest exporter increase shipments, while an improvement in wheat inventories will help the federal government tame any price spikes later this year

The agriculture department is in talks with private importers on purchases from producers like India, Pakistan, Cambodia and Myanmar

The least hikes in percentage terms was reserved for paddy which is the main foodgrain crop grown during the kharif season

Weed management remains the biggest challenge in the adoption of the direct seeded rice method; to counter this, popularisation of herbicide-resistant rice is critical, say experts

Genome editing is a relatively new technology, and we've had a breakthrough with the development of two novel varieties using this approach

Critically, gene-editing technologies like SDN1 do not introduce foreign deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), distinguishing them from traditional genetically modified (GM) organisms

Kamala - DRR Dhan-100 and Pusa DST Rice 1 use less water and help cut greenhouse gas emissions, says Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday unveiled the first genome-edited rice varieties '?DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1'? developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address challenges of climate change and boost rice yields by up to 30 per cent. "It is an important day for us... Soon, these two new rice varieties will be made available to farmers," Chouhan said, adding that the new varieties will enhance rice yields by 20-30 per cent, conserve water, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation. These varieties are recommended for major rice-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal. Scientists developed these varieties by enhancing two widely grown rice types --? Samba Mahsuri (BPT5204) and MTU1010 (Cottondora Sannalu) --? with improved stress tolerance, yield, and climate ...

In Japan, rice is more than just a grain; it is central to daily meals, festivals, spiritual offerings, and even language

India had banned exports of 100% broken rice in September 2022 and then imposed curbs on exports of all other rice grades in 2023 after poor rainfall raised concerns over production

India banned exports of 100% broken rice in September 2022 and then imposed curbs on exports of all other rice grades in 2023 after poor rainfall raised concerns over production