New Delhi: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan launched India’s first indigenously developed non-genetically modified, high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed at the Gourmet Popcornica processing facility in Musunuru, located in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru district. The launch marks an important milestone in domestic agricultural innovation, designed to curb the country’s long-standing reliance on imported hybrid technologies, conserve foreign exchange, and strengthen self-reliance across the commercial agri-food supply chain.
The newly introduced seed variety combines three distinct agronomic and commercial characteristics: it is developed through conventional selective cross-breeding rather than genetic modification, possesses high-expansion properties that deliver optimal popped kernel volume, and is bred specifically for commercial popcorn production. The physical mechanics of popcorn maize require a specialized hard pericarp and precise internal moisture levels that build steam pressure under heat, creating the fluffy texture demanded by commercial snack markets.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President commended the collaboration between processing enterprises and local growers, noting that over 17,500 farmers across eight Indian states cultivating approximately 40,000 acres are integrated into the initiative’s direct value chain. State leadership, including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, was also acknowledged for driving agricultural reforms such as Rythu Bazaars, natural farming practices, and rural support systems that help Indian farmers access global market opportunities.
