Lokesh supports new opportunities for farmers through popcorn maize cultivation and processing
Eluru (AP): TDP National Working President Nara Lokesh on Monday welcomed Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan to Eluru as he arrived ahead of his scheduled visit to Musunuru for the launch of India’s first non-GMO, high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed.
Mr. Lokesh honoured the Vice-President by presenting him with an Etikoppaka wooden toy featuring Lord Sri Rama and the Ram Mandir, along with a traditional Mangalagiri shawl. The GI-tagged Etikoppaka handicraft represents Andhra Pradesh’s rich traditional craftsmanship and is widely recognised for its detailed lacquer work and natural dyes.
Mr. Lokesh said he looked forward to accompanying the Vice-President and the Governor at Musunuru for the launch. He described the programme as a significant move towards promoting agricultural innovation and creating greater value for farmers.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will also attend the programme at Katrenipadu in Musunuru mandal, where the new hybrid seed will be formally unveiled.
Mr. Lokesh has consistently highlighted innovation and value addition as important avenues for expanding opportunities for farmers. His participation in the Musunuru programme underlines the State’s efforts to promote specialised crops and connect agricultural production with processing facilities and markets.
Gourmet Popcornica is organising the initiative. The company works with farmers engaged in popcorn maize cultivation and has set up a popcorn processing facility at Musunuru. The programme integrates seed development, cultivation and food processing around a specialised agricultural crop.
The newly developed hybrid targets popcorn production and combines non-GMO characteristics with high expansion. The non-GMO classification means that genetic engineering has not been used to genetically modify the crop. Instead, the hybrid combines selected parent plants through conventional crossing to bring together desirable traits.
The high-expansion feature enables the kernels to expand significantly when heated, making the characteristic particularly important for popcorn production.
The initiative will further encourage crop diversification by connecting farmers with a specialised market supported by food processing. In Andhra Pradesh, such farm-to-processing models can help farmers generate greater value from their produce instead of depending only on conventional commodity markets.
During his visit, the Vice-President is also scheduled to felicitate farmers and interact with agricultural stakeholders and other participants.
