India has become the world’s largest rice producer, surpassing China, with a total output of 150.18 million tonnes during 2024-25, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday.
Speaking at an event, Chouhan said, “India has surpassed China in rice production and has become the world’s largest producer.”
India’s rice production has reached 150.18 million tonnes, compared to China’s 145.28 million tonnes, Chouhan said, describing it as an “extraordinary achievement.”
On this occasion, Chouhan released 184 new varieties of 25 crops. These include 122 of cereals, 24 of cotton (including 22 Bt cotton), 13 of oilseeds, 11 fodder crops, six each of pulses and sugarcane, and one each of jute and tobacco.
These new high-yielding seed varieties would boost crop production and enhance farmers’ income, Chouhan said.
He asked the officials to ensure that these new varieties reach farmers quickly.
On the occasion, the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the National Seeds Corporation (NSC), Dr Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, presented a cheque of the NSC dividend to the Union Minister.
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The NSC, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, has announced the declaration of a final dividend of Rs. 33.26 crore for the Financial Year 2024-25, representing 30% of its Profit After Tax.
On this occasion, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi and other senior officials of the Agriculture Ministry were also present.
