Lok Sabha Question No. 2990 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: High Yielding Crop Varieties
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2990 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15/03/2016

## HIGH YIELDING CROP VARIETIES

2990. SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK: SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj d`'kd dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  Indian  Agricultural  Research  Institute  (IARI)  has  developed  and released several new high yielding varieties of agricultural and horticultural crops to raise their production in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including their nutritional quality, crop-wise;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to promote the cultivation of such varieties of pulses and oilseeds in order to raise their production in the country and reduce import  of  these  food  items  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  expected quantum of raise in their production; and
- (d) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  boost  the  production  of pulses and oilseeds and fill the gap in their demand and supply in the country?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k vkSj d`'kd dY;k.k ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h

(DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a) & (b): Yes, Madam. Indian Agricultural Research Institute has developed and released 30 and 15 varieties of field and horticultural crops, during 2010 to 2015, respectively. The new varieties are high yielding, besides having various nutritional qualities like good bread, chapati and pasta making qualities in wheat; aroma and good cooking quality in rice; low erucic acid and glucosinolates in Indian mustard, high  carotenoid,  lycopene  and  total  soluble  solid  (TSS)  in  carrot;  high  TSS  and antioxidant in onion and high carotene, micro-nutrients, minerals and antioxidant in bitter gourd.

(c) To  promote  the  cultivation  of  pulses  and  oilseeds,  National  Agricultural Research System has developed location specific 97 and 88 high yielding varieties/hybrids  of  oilseeds  and  pulses,  respectively,  during  2010  to  2015.  These varieties  had  attained  a  good  breeder  seed  indent  for  further  use  by  stakeholders (public as well as private sector organizations) in production of foundation, certified and  truthfully  labelled  seeds.  To  popularize  the  new  varieties,  Indian  Council  of Agricultural Research has produced a total of 2,20,515 q breeder seed of pulses and oil seeds together, which is 51.2% of the total production, during 2010-11 to 201415. These seeds were supplied to different seed producing agencies to maintain the effective seed production chain so that quality seeds of improved varieties/hybrids to be made available to the farmers at affordable prices for cultivation and boost the productivity and production in pulses and oilseeds.

(d) In  order  to  boost  the  production  of  pulses  and  oilseeds  in  the  country,  the Government has prepared strategic plans like production and supply of good quality seeds,  policy  support  in  the  form  of  attractive  minimum  support  price  (MSP), procurement, crop insurance, etc. to protect farmers' interest, area expansion under two Central Government schemes like National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and National  Mission  on  Oilseeds  and  Oil  Palm  (NMOOP) ,  promoting  improved production technology,  enhancing  seed  replacement  rate,  provision  for  life  saving irrigation,  ensuring  availability  of  critical  inputs  and  machines  for  agri-operations etc.  Further,  to  boost  the  overall  production  of  pulses  and  oilseeds,  increasing acreage under these crop commodities in the rice fallow areas, non-traditional areas and through intercropping systems have also been taken up.

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