Green rice to bring in Green revolution

Rice bred to perform well in the toughest conditions where the poorest farmers grow rice is a step towards reaching farmers thanks to a major project led by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Green Super Rice is actually a mix of more than 250 different potential rice varieties and hybrids variously adapted to difficult growing conditions such as drought and low inputs, including no pesticide and less fertiliser, and with rapid establishment rates to out-compete weeds, thus reducing the need for herbicides. More types of Green Super Rice that combine many of these traits are in the pipeline.
As reported in the latest issue of Rice Today, Green Super Rice is already in the hands of national agricultural agencies in key rice-growing countries for testing and development.

Transformed agriculture-led growth for India

India has a unique and compelling opportunity! Given the spirit of our entrepreneurial farmers, the scientific talent in our agriculture industry and universities, and the second-largest farming acres globally, if we can increase crop yields sustainably, we can achieve food security domestically and be a positive contributor to helping meet the world’s agricultural needs.

The World Bank , the Planning Commission, the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) have arrived at a broadly similar conclusion that 300 million to 400 million people in India live below the poverty line—meaning they do not have enough to eat and to care for themselves with majority living in rural India and linked to agriculture. At the current prices and rate of inflation, it is anybody’s guess what would be the number of India’s poor.

Sugar production rises up

The country's sugar production was estimated to have risen by 15 % to 8.4 million tonnes as on January 15 in the current crop year.

"Production is about 8.4 million tonnes, 15 % more than what the country had produced in the same period last year," a senior government official said.

The government had estimated total sugar production at 24.5 million tonnes in the ongoing 2010-11 crop year (October-September), against 19 million tonnes in the previous crop year. The country's annual demand of sugar was pegged at 23 million tonnes.  At present, sugar prices in retail market are ruling at Rs 31-33 per kg. In the wake of rising inflation, the government had recently put on hold the export of 5 lakh tonnes of sugar under the Open General Licence scheme.