India has emerged as the world’s largest producer of rice, overtaking China with a record output of 150.18 million tonnes, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday.
Addressing an event in the national capital, the minister said India’s rice production has surpassed China’s output of 145.28 million tonnes, calling the achievement unprecedented and a reflection of the country’s agricultural transformation.
At the same event, Chouhan released 184 new high-yielding and climate-resilient seed varieties covering 25 field crops, developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He directed officials to ensure the rapid dissemination of these varieties to farmers across the country to boost productivity and farm incomes.
The newly released varieties include 122 cereals, six pulses, 13 oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, six sugarcane varieties, 24 cotton varieties—of which 22 are Bt cotton—and one variety each of jute and tobacco. According to the ministry, these seeds are designed to deliver higher yields, better quality produce, and resistance to major pests and diseases, while also addressing challenges such as climate change, drought, soil salinity, and other biotic and abiotic stresses.
Chouhan noted that since the gazette notification process began in 1969, a total of 7,205 crop varieties have been notified in India. Of these, 3,236 high-yielding varieties have been approved under the current government, compared with 3,969 varieties notified between 1969 and 2014.
Highlighting India’s journey from food scarcity to surplus, the minister said the country is now supplying rice to overseas markets and maintains abundant foodgrain stocks, ensuring both domestic food security and a growing role in the global food supply chain.
He also urged agricultural scientists to intensify efforts to raise the production of pulses and oilseeds to reduce import dependence and make India self-sufficient in these critical segments.
Calling the development of high-yielding and climate-resilient seeds the foundation of a new agricultural revolution, Chouhan said the milestone was achieved through the collective efforts of ICAR’s All India Coordinated Research Projects, state and central agricultural universities, and private seed companies.
Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said seed multiplication rates have been increased by 1.5 to 2 times to strengthen availability, while national and state seed corporations are working to supply quality seeds to farmers at affordable prices.
“These efforts will help sustain productivity growth, enhance farmer incomes, and reinforce India’s position as a global food provider,” the ministry said.