Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday called upon the scientific community to look for non-genetically modified organism (GMO) solutions to raise productivity in pulses and oilseeds, areas where India continues to rely heavily on imports.
“If countries without access to GM seeds can get better yields in pulses, why can’t India?” Chouhan said while addressing scientists at the 98th Foundation Day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (Icar).
Chouhan’s comments come amid an ongoing debate on whether genetic modification is the only solution to raise productivity in pulses and oilseeds. Regulatory approval for India’s lone genetically modified oilseed variant, mustard, has been stalled for years due to judicial intervention and lack of consensus among stakeholders.
Chouhan said farmers with access to irrigation tend to shift towards rice and wheat cultivation — a pattern that has played out across Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and other parts of eastern India as irrigation coverage expanded, pushing the country to depend on pulse imports.
Citing yield comparisons, the minister said an acre under rice can produce 30-35 quintals, while an acre under pulses such as gram or moong yields about 5 quintals. He called the gap “a direct challenge” for Icar scientists to close.
