UP to become global food basket, agriculture key to achieving USD 1 trillion economy goal: CM Yogi Adityanath

Varanasi, Oct 6 (PTI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said that Uttar Pradesh is moving ahead with the resolve to become a global food basket, playing a pivotal role in achieving the target of a USD 1 trillion state economy by 2029-30.

He was addressing the Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) Conclave held at the International Rice Research Institute's (IRRI) South Asia Regional Centre in Varanasi.

The Chief Minister said that if quality seeds and technology are provided on time, Uttar Pradesh can produce three times more than its current output, according to an official statement.

He added that Centres of Excellence will be established in collaboration with international institutions like IRRI and the International Potato Centre (CIP) to promote research-based agricultural growth.

Highlighting the state's agricultural potential, the chief minister noted that India has 170 million hectares of cultivable land, 60 per cent of which is irrigated, while Uttar Pradesh alone produces 21 per cent of the country's food grains despite having only 11 per cent of the land area and 17 per cent of the population.

"UP leads in the cultivation of paddy, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, pulses, and oilseeds," he said.

The chief minister said that revolutionary changes have taken place in the farm sector over the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, linking farmers with initiatives such as Soil Health Cards, crop insurance, PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana, MSP at 1.5 times the cost, and the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

Referring to Uttar Pradesh's heritage, Adityanath said that 'Kala Namak' rice, which was offered by Lord Buddha 3,000 years ago, is being promoted globally as Lord Buddha's 'Prasad'.

He added that rice cultivation in the state has an 8,000-year-old history, with ancient inscriptions from Thanjavur and Ramanathapuram highlighting India's advanced agricultural tradition.

After Independence, Uttar Pradesh's food grain production increased from 11.77 million tonnes to 60 million tonnes, while the cultivated area expanded from 17 million hectares to 24 million hectares.

The chief minister also announced the establishment of a 250-acre seed park in Lucknow, to be named after former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, for producing improved seeds suited to climate change, according to the statement.

During the conclave, a battery-operated e-seeder and a precision hill seeder developed by IRRI and JNVV were unveiled, along with publications on direct seeding of rice, zero-tillage wheat, and the Samriddhi Rice Network.

Meanwhile, the CM urged scientists to take research "from labs to land," ensuring that new technologies directly benefit farmers. Uttar Pradesh currently cultivates 7 million hectares of rice, 10 million hectares of wheat, and 2.9 million hectares of sugarcane, along with extensive pulses and oilseed crops. PTI KIS MR