PM Modi to release 109 high-yielding varieties of seeds on 11 August

New Delhi: As part of the government’s plan to revitalise agriculture and boost food security, prime minister Narendra Modi will release 109 high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of seeds on Sunday, two people aware of the matter told Mint.

While developing high-yielding and climate-resilient seed varieties is a continuous process, their release by Modi highlights the government's focus on advancing research in the seed sector for improved productivity.

These 109 varieties of 61 crops include 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops, they said. These crop seeds will be for wheat, rice, vegetables, oilseeds, and cotton among others, they added.

Field crops are grown on a large scale in extensive fields for commercial purposes and include grains, legumes, oilseeds, and forages such as wheat, maize, rice, soybeans and sugarcane. They are crucial for food supply, livestock feed, and raw materials for industries, playing a key role in global food security.

Horticulture crops encompass fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, and flowers, and are grown in gardens and orchards. They are important for nutrition, aesthetic value, and industries like food and pharmaceuticals.

"The seeds scheduled for launch are drought-tolerant, climate-resilient, and pest-resistant, with additional traits including disease tolerance, salinity tolerance, flood tolerance, heat tolerance, cold tolerance, and the ability to grow in nutrient-deficient soils," the first of the two persons cited earlier said.

According to Hyderabad-based market research and consulting firm Mordor Intelligence, the seed market in India is estimated to be worth $3.61 billion in 2024, and is projected to swell to $5.01 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.58% during the period.

In the past 10 years, the government has introduced around 2,100 climate-resilient varieties of crops to farmers, including varieties of rice that need 25% less water than traditional ones.

Resilience in agriculture

In the budget speech presented on 23 July, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted productivity and resilience in agriculture as the top priority among nine for achieving the the government's "Viksit Bharat" vision.

“Our government will undertake a comprehensive review of the agriculture research set-up to bring the focus on raising productivity and developing climate-resilient varieties," Sitharaman announced in budget speech.

Queries emailed to the agriculture secretary and spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office remained unanswered till press time.

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“Most of the seeds among the 109 varieties are developed by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR),” the first person said.

"All the seeds to be released are indigenous varieties, carefully selected for their suitability to local conditions. Field trials have demonstrated adaptability and a significant increase in yield, highlighting their potential to enhance agricultural productivity while preserving local biodiversity," this person said.

Recently, while inaugurating the International Conference of Agricultural Economists on 3 August in New Delhi, the Prime Minister urged global agricultural economists to explore ways to connect the world through sustainable agri-food systems.

Food security

In India, nearly 90% of farmers are smallholders for farmland, with a significant portion of marginal farmers forming the backbone of the nation's food security.

The International Conference of Agricultural Economists is a global event that gathers experts to discuss and promote innovative, sustainable, and climate-resilient farming practices. India hosted the event for the first time since its inception in 1929.

"During the launch event, the prime minister will also spell out nutritional benefits of certain field seeds like rice, wheat, millets, and others, which yield crops rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and more. These new varieties of seeds are designed to enhance both productivity and nutrition," the second person said.

"Variety development and release is a continuous process. Each year, new seeds developed by ICAR institutes, state agricultural universities, and private companies are released," said M. Prabhakar Rao, the president of National Seed Association of India (NSAI).

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“The inclusion of these developments in the budget announcement underscores the government's focus on high-yielding and climate-resilient seed varieties, which is a positive sign for the agricultural sector and farmers in particular," said Rao, the director of Fortune Hybrid Seeds.

"It shows that the current government is focusing more on seed research and introducing new technologies such as marker-assisted breeding and gene editing. So, we should also help the government in accelerating varietal development," Rao added.

NSAI represents seed producers, promotes best practices, and supports policies to improve seed quality and agricultural productivity in India.

However, the ₹9,940 crore allocation for the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) for this fiscal year presents a different picture. This represents an increase of just 0.7% from the ₹9,880 crore (revised estimate) allocated in FY24. However, the FY24 allocation marked an increase of around 9% from the previous year.