Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday released 109 improved seed varieties at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR), Pusa. Prime Minister Modi praised the scientists for developing these new crop varieties. He emphasized the importance of value addition in agriculture while interacting with farmers and scientists. Farmers said that these new varieties will be very beneficial for them as they will reduce their expenses and also have a positive impact on the environment.
PM Modi also discussed the importance of millets and how people are moving towards nutritious food. He also discussed the benefits of natural farming and the growing demand for organic food. Scientists informed that they are working to bring untapped crops into the mainstream as suggested by PM Modi. The 109 varieties released are of 61 crops, which include 34 agricultural and 27 horticultural crops. PM Modi discussed the importance of millets and emphasized how people are moving towards nutritious food. He also talked about the benefits of natural farming and the growing interest of common people towards organic farming. He said that people have started consuming and demanding organic food. He also praised the scientists for developing these new crop varieties.
The scientists informed that they are working in line with the suggestion given by the Prime Minister to bring untapped crops into the mainstream. The 109 varieties of 61 crops released by the Prime Minister include 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops. Seeds of various cereals including millets, fodder, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, fibre and other potential crops were released at the field level. Among the horticultural crops, various varieties of fruits, vegetables, orchards, tuber crops, spices, flowers and medicinal crops were released.