Develop disease resistant wheat: Kidwai to experts

Chandigarh, Aug 19: Haryana Governor A R Kidwai, who is Chancellor of Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, on Tuesday, Aug 19 called upon the agriculture scientists to develop disease and temperature resistant new varieties of wheat to achieve the wheat production target of 775 million tonnes by the year 2020.

Dr Kidwai, who was addressing the meeting of Wheat and Barley Researcher of India and Foreign countries at Hisar today, congratulated the Scientists for the rapid progress made by the country in the field of agriculture.

He said India Tuesday, Aug 19 needed another green revolution. The first green revolution certainly made India self sufficient in the matter of foodgrains. However, ever rising population of the country had warranted second green revolution on the pattern of first one, he added.

Referring wheat import from America after independence, he said that India was still making payment to America for the wheat imported at that time. Agriculture was a vital sector not only for the development of the country, but also for the survival of human being and animals.

Given the importance of this primary sector, the Central and State Government had taken various steps for the overall development of this sector, he added.

Speaking on this occasion, Dr Mangla Rai, Director General of Indian Council for Agricultural Research said that India had taken big strides in the field of agriculture.

The horticulture and milk production had increased six per cent each, meat production eight per cent, fish production nine per cent, cotton production eight per cent, egg production 27 per cent and wheat production four per cent, he added.

UNI