India's First Indigenous Non-GMO High-Expansion Popcorn Maize Seed Launched

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Key takeaways

India launched its first indigenous non-GMO high-expansion popcorn maize hybrids, Krisna459 and Godari234, developed by ICAR-IIMR and Gourmet Popcornica in Andhra Pradesh.
India achieved a record maize production of 55.09 million tonnes in 2025-26, keeping maize as the third major food crop after rice and wheat.
India's average maize yield stands at 3.19 tonnes/ha, trailing behind the international benchmark of 5.5-5.6 tonnes/ha.
The private-public partnership connects over 17,500 farmers across 8 States covering nearly 40,000 acres of land into a farm-to-market value chain.

The Vice-President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, launched the country's first indigenous non-GMO high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed.
The official launch took place at the Gourmet Popcornica processing facility located in Musunuru, Eluru district, Andhra Pradesh.
This initiative strengthens the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in agriculture by cutting reliance on imported popcorn hybrid technology.
Developing seeds domestically conserves valuable foreign exchange and builds self-reliance in specialized food crops.

Researchers at ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (ICAR-IIMR) developed these hybrid seeds in partnership with Gourmet Popcornica.
The joint effort produced two commercial hybrid varieties named Krisna459 and Godari234.
Scientists developed these seeds using conventional cross-breeding methods without artificial genetic modifications.
Because they contain no foreign genetic material, these varieties satisfy strict international standards that demand non-GMO ingredients.
The kernels expand significantly upon heating, giving them a high expansion ratio vital for commercial popcorn processing.

Gourmet Popcornica works directly with over 17,500 farmers across 8 States, covering nearly 40,000 acres of land.
The model establishes a complete farm-to-market ecosystem equipped with processing, quality testing, cold storage, and packaging facilities.
This direct integration opens up specialized premium markets for farmers and raises their earning potential.
The project demonstrates how partnerships between public research bodies and private firms can create globally competitive agricultural value chains.

Popcorn maize belongs to the scientific family Poaceae under the botanical name Zea mays and is a specialized flint corn variety.
Each kernel features a tough outer shell that encloses starch and a tiny pocket of moisture.
Heating the kernel converts its internal moisture into high-pressure steam inside the sealed hull.
When the hull bursts from pressure, the kernel turns inside out into a soft white popped mass.

Maize ranks as the third most important food crop in India, right after rice and wheat.
Indian farmers cultivate maize across varied climate zones for human food, animal feed, fodder, and industrial processing.
Backed by good rainfall and support under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) framework, India produced a record 55.09 million tonnes of maize in 2025-26.
India's average maize yield reached 3.19 tonnes/ha, though it still trails behind the international average of 5.5-5.6 tonnes/ha.
Madhya Pradesh stands as the leading maize-producing state, followed by Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Telangana.
Maize farming has gradually shifted toward peninsular India, which now produces nearly 50% of total output on over 40% of maize area.
Cultivation of Rabi maize is also expanding in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, and West Bengal.