MoA&FW Unveils 3 New BHU-Developed Crop Varieties for Farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

National | Dated: 18 May 2025

In May 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) launched three newly developed crop varieties by Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), aimed at improving agricultural productivity for farmers in Uttar Pradesh (UP).

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - The newly released varieties include two rice types—Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1 and Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1—along with one mustard variety named Malviya Nidhi.
  • - Among these, Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1 seeds are already available in the market, while Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1 and Malviya Nidhi will be available to farmers starting in 2026.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) Malaviya Manila Sinchit Dhan-1 (Rice): Developed by BHU and IRRI under Prof. Shravan Kumar Singh, this short-duration rice variety yields 55–60 quintals/hectare. It matures in 115–120 days and features long, slender grains with a slightly sweet taste, offering better productivity than traditional varieties.
  • (ii) Malviya Dhan 105 Sub-1 (Rice): Developed by Prof. P.K. Singh’s team at BHU, this rice variety yields 42–46 quintals/hectare. It is ideal for flood-prone regions of UP and Bihar, featuring mild aroma and resilience, making it suitable for adverse agro-climatic conditions with improved performance.
  • (iii) Malviya Nidhi (Mustard): Led by Prof. K. Srivastava at BHU, this mustard variety yields 20 quintals/hectare in 125–130 days. It produces bold black seeds with 39.4% oil content, higher than conventional types, supporting farmers with better economic returns and nutritional benefits.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare released three new crop varieties developed by BHU for farmers of which Indian state?

Correct Answer: Uttar Pradesh

🚀 Quick Recap:

About International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

  • Director General (DG) : Dr. Yvonne Pinto
  • Headquarters : Los Baños (Philippines)