India surpasses China to become world’s largest rice producer

January 5, 2026

New Delhi:  Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that India has surpassed China to become the world’s largest rice producer by producing 150.18 million tons of rice. China’s production during this period was 145.28 million tons. The minister attributed this success to new high-yielding seed varieties and said that India has now become a major exporter of rice to global markets.

184 new improved crop varieties released

At an event held in Delhi, Minister Chouhan released 184 new improved varieties developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). These include:

122 cereal varieties
6 pulse crops
13 oilseed crops
11 fodder crops
6 sugarcane varieties
24 cotton varieties
1 jute and 1 tobacco variety

The Minister directed officials to ensure that these new varieties reach farmers as quickly as possible, enabling them to enjoy higher yields and better quality produce.

Focus on climate-resistant and high-yielding seed varieties

The new varieties have been developed to cope with climate change, soil salinity, drought, and other biotic and abiotic stresses. These varieties also promote natural and organic farming. The Minister stated that India has achieved a significant milestone by transforming from a food-deficit country to a global agricultural producer.

Beginning of a New Revolution in Agriculture

Chauhan said that 3,236 high-yielding varieties have been approved in the last 11 years, compared to 3,969 between 1969 and 2014. He said this achievement is the result of the combined efforts of ICAR projects, state and central agricultural universities, and private seed companies. The minister described it as the beginning of a new era of agricultural revolution in India.