Nara Lokesh welcomes Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan ahead of seed launch in Musunuru
New Delhi : TDP National Working President Nara Lokesh on Monday welcomed Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan to Eluru ahead of a programme at Musunuru for the launch of India’s first non-GMO high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed.
As part of the welcome, Mr. Lokesh presented the Vice-President with an Etikoppaka wooden toy depicting Lord Sri Rama and the Ram Mandir, along with a traditional Mangalagiri shawl. The Etikoppaka toy, a GI-tagged handicraft from Andhra Pradesh, is known for its intricate lacquer work and use of natural dyes.
Mr. Lokesh said he looked forward to joining the Vice-President and the Governor at Musunuru for the launch, describing the occasion as an important step towards agricultural innovation and greater value creation for farmers.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will also participate in the programme at Katrenipadu in Musunuru mandal, where the hybrid seed will be unveiled.
Mr. Lokesh has been emphasising innovation and value addition as ways to create more opportunities for farmers. His participation in the Musunuru programme reflects the State’s focus on promoting specialised crops and linking farm production with processing and markets.
The initiative is being organised by Gourmet Popcornica, which works with farmers cultivating popcorn maize and has established a popcorn processing facility at Musunuru. The programme brings cultivation, seed development and food processing together around a specialised crop.
The new hybrid is intended for popcorn production and is described as both non-GMO and high-expansion. While non-GMO indicates that the crop has not been genetically modified through genetic engineering, the hybrid has been developed by crossing selected parent plants to combine desirable traits.
Its high-expansion characteristic refers to the ability of the kernels to expand substantially when heated, a key feature for popcorn production.
The initiative will also support crop diversification by giving farmers access to a specialised market linked to food processing. For Andhra Pradesh, such farm-to-processing models offer scope for increasing value from agricultural produce rather than relying solely on conventional commodity markets.
During the visit, the Vice-President is also scheduled to felicitate farmers and address agricultural stakeholders and other participants.
