India Crowned World's Largest Rice Producer, Outpaces China; Boosts Food Security

• India has become the world's largest rice producer, surpassing China with a total production of 150.18 million tonnes.
• Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced this, highlighting India's transformation from food scarcity to a global food supplier.
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) released 184 new seed varieties across 25 crop types to further boost agricultural output.
• These new varieties include 122 cereal, 6 pulse, 13 oilseed, 11 fodder, 6 sugarcane, and 24 cotton (22 BT) varieties.
• Experts view this as a significant milestone, strengthening India's food security and promising increased yields and farmer income.

Why It Matters: India's agricultural prowess shines, becoming the top rice producer globally and enhancing food security.