12 lakh tons of flood tolerant seeds given to Indian farmers for Kharif 2016

According to the union government, the eco-friendly flood tolerant seeds have been helpful in raising the plants of various crops that could withstand the monsoon fury

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New Delhi: The National Agricultural Research System comprising Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), central agricultural universities and SAUs are taking adequate steps continuously for developing eco-friendly flood tolerant seeds for protecting the crops in flood prone regions of the various States of the country. The concerted research efforts led to release of 49 different crop varieties tolerant to flood/water logging stresses comprising 22 of rice, 4 of maize, 10 of sugarcane, 10 of jute and 3 of soybean.

As per the information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Sudarshan Bhagat in Lok Sabha on July 19th, during 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and kharif 2016, 30.2 lakh ton, 30.4 lakh ton, 31.6 lakh ton and 12.0 lakh ton, respectively, of certified/quality seeds of improved varieties of different crops tolerant to flood/drought were made available to the farmers.

The government of India has launched several central sector crop development schemes viz. National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI), National Mission on Oil Seeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Sub-mission on Seeds & Planting Material under National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology and these schemes are under operation in all the states including flood prone states as well.