PM Narendra Modi to release 109 high yielding, climate resilient varieties of crops

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release 109 high yielding, climate resilient and biofortified varieties of crops at Indian Agricultural Research Institute here on Sunday, according to an official statement.

The prime minister will also interact with farmers and scientists during the event, the statement said.

The 109 varieties of 61 crops to be released include 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops, it added.

Among the field crops, seeds of various cereals, including millet, forage crops, oilseeds, pulses, sugarcane, cotton, fibre and other potential crops will be released, the statement said.

Among the horticultural crops, different varieties of fruits, vegetable crops, plantation crops, tuber crops, spices, flowers and medicinal crops will be released, it added.

Prime Minister Modi has always encouraged sustainable farming and adoption of climate resilient methodologies, the release said.

He has also emphasised on promoting biofortified varieties of crops by linking them with the several government programmes such as mid-day meal and Anganwadi, to make India free from malnutrition, it said.

"The prime minister has stressed that these steps will ensure good income for the farmers along with opening new avenues of entrepreneurship for them. This step of release of 109 high yielding varieties is yet another step in this direction," it added.