Rice is the cornerstone of food security in India and also a key factor for our economy, said the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu.
- She was speaking on the occasion of inauguration of the 2nd Indian Rice Congress at ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack on February 11, 2023.
- The President said that though India is the leading consumer and exporter of rice today, the situation was different when the nation became free.
- In those days, we were dependent on imports to meet our food requirements, and often the nation lived what was called a ship-to-mouth existence. If the nation could overcome that dependency and has become the largest exporter, a lot of credit goes to the National Rice Research Institute. The institute has contributed immensely to India’s food security and also in improving farmers’ lives.
- She was happy to note that ICAR-NRRI has developed India’s first high protein rice, called CR Dhan 310 and NRRI has also released a high-zinc rice variety, called CR Dhan 315.
- She said that development of such bio-fortified varieties is an ideal example of science in the service of society.
