Stressing that India needs to embrace the philosophy of "swadeshi with quality", Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said achieving self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds is the next frontier for the government.

“The nation’s goal must go beyond food security to encompass nutrition security and Atmanirbharta in all aspects of agriculture. While India has achieved surplus production in rice and wheat, the next frontier is achieving self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds,” Chouhan said addressing the 120th annual session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI).

“The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian scientists are working on advanced research in genome editing, hybrid seeds, and high-yield varieties to enhance productivity and reduce costs,” he said, adding that food processing and value addition are the national priorities.

Chouhan said there is a need to embrace ‘swadeshi’ with quality, blending indigenous strength with global competitiveness. “Let us adopt swadeshi, but with the highest standards of quality. Together, we can make India the food basket of the world,” he said.

“Highlighting that nearly 46% of India’s population is engaged in agriculture, the minister underlined the government’s focus on self-reliance (atmanirbharta) in food production and farmer welfare,” PHDCCI said in a release.

“Food security must go hand in hand with farmer prosperity,” he said. “We must ensure that our farmers not only feed the nation but also earn with dignity and stability.”

“To achieve this, he emphasiaed the need to enhance per-hectare productivity, strengthen seed quality through ICAR, and accelerate mechanisation to empower small and marginal farmers,” the release stated.