India has become the world's largest rice producer, surpassing China with an output of 150.18 million tonnes, according to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The announcement coincided with the release of 184 new high-yielding crop varieties. Chouhan highlighted India's transformation from a food-deficient nation to a global food provider and emphasized the importance of these new varieties for increasing farmers' income and ensuring food security. Experts also noted the ecological costs associated with high production, particularly in states like Punjab.