New Delhi: Ginni Agro Products Limited (GAPL), a Nagpur-based company, has secured commercialization rights for five high-yielding plant varieties developed by farmer innovators from Varanasi, in a strategic technology transfer facilitated by the National Innovation Foundation – India (NIF).
The agreements mark a significant milestone in advancing farmer-led innovation and integrating grassroots agricultural breakthroughs into the formal seed business ecosystem.
The technology transfer was enabled by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), under which NIF operates as an autonomous institution.
The agreements cover the transfer of five plant varieties – three wheat and two pigeon pea varieties – developed by farmer innovators Shreeprakash Singh Raghuvanshi and Ranjeet Kumar Singh of Varanasi to Ginni Agro Products Limited.
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Five Varieties Transferred to Ginni Agro Products
Under the agreement, Ginni Agro Products has obtained commercialization rights for the following varieties:
- Kudrat 3 (Pigeon Pea)
- Kudrat 8 (Wheat)
- Kudrat 9 (Wheat)
- Lalita (Pigeon Pea)
- Annapurna (Wheat)
Kudrat 3, Kudrat 8, and Kudrat 9 were developed by Shreeprakash Singh Raghuvanshi, while Lalita and Annapurna were developed by Ranjeet Kumar Singh.
The agreements authorize Ginni Agro Products to undertake seed production, multiplication, processing, marketing, and sale of these varieties as TL (Truthfully Labelled) seed in designated territories, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
This strategic move is expected to integrate grassroots innovations into formal business channels while strengthening farmers’ rights.
Through this collaboration, Ginni Agro Products will help enhance the availability of quality seeds, improve agricultural productivity, and generate sustainable income opportunities for the innovator farmers.
Detailed Features of the Transferred Varieties
- Kudrat-8 (Wheat): Kudrat-8 is a high-yielding wheat variety with a yield potential of up to 65.41 quintals per hectare and an average of 50 grains per spike. It features a higher test weight of 52 grams.
The plant’s dwarf structure, with a height of 76 cm, helps prevent lodging. It produces a higher number of tillers (390 per square metre) and has higher biomass (18 g per plant), offering additional benefits to farmers. The variety was observed to be moderately resistant to aphid and resistant to leaf rust.
- Kudrat-9 (Wheat): Kudrat-9 demonstrates a high yield potential of up to 67 quintals per hectare and is a bio-fortified cultivar with significant potential to enhance nutritional security. It is characterized by a superior grain profile containing 10–12% protein, 47.58 ppm iron (Fe), and 23.77 ppm zinc (Zn), addressing critical micronutrient deficiencies.
- Annapurna (Wheat): Annapurna offers a high yield potential of up to 60 quintals per hectare. Its productivity is driven by superior panicle architecture, featuring a panicle length of 25 cm and a high grain density of up to 80 long-bold seeds per panicle.
- Kudrat-3 (Pigeon Pea): Kudrat-3 is a perennial pigeon pea variety capable of two harvests per year, ensuring significantly higher cumulative annual yield of up to 36.17 quintals per hectare.
It outperformed all check varieties, which recorded a maximum yield of 3253.70 kg per hectare. The variety features pods measuring 6–8 cm in length with an average of five bold seeds per pod. It is suitable for both green pod and grain use.
The sweeter dry seeds, with a red seed coat, can be sold as “Whole Arhar” or processed into “Dal” with a bright yellow colour.
- Lalita (Pigeon Pea): Lalita is an annual pigeon pea variety with a higher yield potential of up to 30 quintals per hectare.
Its round-shaped red seeds reduce breakage during milling and provide higher Dal recovery of over 80%. The variety is also well-suited for organic cultivation systems.
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Strengthening Farmer-Led Innovation Through Ginni Agro Products
The transfer agreements facilitated by NIF represent a structured effort to bridge grassroots agricultural innovation with industry capabilities.
By granting commercialization rights to Ginni Agro Products, the initiative supports farmer innovators while ensuring that improved seed varieties reach wider markets across multiple states.
The collaboration is expected to promote wider adoption of these high-yielding wheat and pigeon pea varieties, enhance farm productivity, and create long-term economic value for both farmers and innovators through formalized seed production and marketing channels.
