Vice-President launches India’s first non-GMO high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed in Andhra Pradesh

The Vice-President of India launched India’s first non-GMO, high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed at Musunuru in Eluru district of Andhra Pradesh, developed by Gourmet Popcornica. This indigenous hybrid aims to reduce India's historical dependence on imported hybrid technology for popcorn maize, thereby conserving foreign exchange and aligning with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in agriculture. The initiative involves a partnership with more than 17,500 farmers across eight states cultivating nearly 40,000 acres. During the event, the Vice-President commended various farmer-centric initiatives of the Union Government and state-level agricultural programs in Andhra Pradesh.