Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday inaugurated the newly constructed Administrative-cum-Laboratory Building of the ICAR–Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) in Ludhiana.
The ₹37.5-crore facility, established under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is designed to boost advanced research in genomics, biotechnology, mechanization, agribusiness promotion, and digital agriculture.

The inauguration was followed by a National Stakeholder Consultation on Enhancing Maize Productivity, which brought together more than 1,000 maize researchers, policymakers, industry representatives, and farmers from across India.

Addressing the gathering, Chouhan said that maize has become the foundation of India’s food, nutrition, feed, industrial, and bioenergy security. He noted that maize production grew by 10.5% last year, reaching 42 million tonnes, and is expected to rise to 47–50 million tonnes this Kharif season, according to the minister.
He added that maize contributes nearly 50% to India’s ethanol production, saving the country ₹1.44 lakh crore in crude oil imports, of which ₹1.25 lakh crore has been paid directly to farmers. “Maize alone has contributed ₹45,000 crore to farmers’ income, transforming them from Annadata to Indhanadata,” he remarked.

Union Ministers of State Bhagirath Choudhary and Ravneet Singh Bittu, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, and Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) Dr. M. L. Jat also attended the event.
Choudhary said India is working to make maize a crop suitable for all seasons and regions to strengthen agricultural sustainability and ensure stable incomes for farmers.

Dr. Jat emphasized that the Prime Minister’s vision of “Farmer Prosperity and Self-Reliant Agriculture” is being realized through multi-purpose crops like maize. He noted that maize research in India began in 1957 under the All India Coordinated Maize Improvement Project, which evolved into ICAR–IIMR in 2015. The institute, he added, promotes crop diversification, industrial applications, and conservation agriculture, improving soil health and resource efficiency.
He also highlighted that biopolymers derived from maize are emerging as sustainable substitutes for plastics, supporting the “Green India–Clean India” initiative.

ICAR–IIMR Director Dr. Hanuman Sahay Jat informed that the institute has developed over 45 high-yielding maize hybrids and 24 biofortified varieties, adopted by 30 private seed companies. Over the past five years, it has produced around 40,000 quintals of seed, generating employment and ensuring seed availability.
He said the institute is promoting quality seed production through FPOs, SHGs, and MSMEs, and has established maize-based catchment areas in 78 districts across 15 states, strengthening the rural economy.

After the inauguration, a live demonstration on crop residue management was held at Noorpur Bet (Ludhiana), featuring technologies such as the Happy Seeder, Smart Seeder, Super Seeder, and Super-SMS. Participants later visited a Bee Enterprise and Business Model at Doraha, followed by a Farmers’ Choupal, enabling direct interaction among farmers, scientists, and manufacturers.

Dr. Devendra Kumar Yadava, DDG (Crop Science), said that initiatives under the “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan” are aimed at strengthening stakeholder engagement and accelerating agricultural transformation at the grassroots level.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan ICAR IIMR Ludhiana Maize Research Ethanol Production Crop Residue Management Punjab Agriculture Farmers Income Biofuel Security