In a transformative push toward building a future-ready, market-oriented agricultural sector, the Government of Odisha today hosted the landmark Odisha Healthier Rice Business Summit 2026 at the Lyfe Hotel, Bhubaneswar.
Organized jointly by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE) and the Department of Mission Shakti, in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and ORMAS, the summit established a strategic roadmap to transition Odisha from conventional rice cultivation to a value-driven, farmer-centric economy.
The high-level event brought together key stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, including primary growers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), women-led producer groups, private processors, exporters, and research institutions.
Strategic Shift to High-Value, Nutrient-Dense Cultivation
Backed by technical research from IRRI and Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), the state is aggressively expanding its footprint in specialized, nutrient-dense crop varieties. These include low-GI, ultra-low GI, high-protein, micronutrient-rich varieties, and prized traditional aromatic rice such as Kalajeera.
To operationalize this transition, Odisha announced plans to scale specialty rice cultivation from the current 1,200 hectares to 10,000 hectares over the next four to five years. This agricultural push will be anchored by a state-of-the-art Specialty Rice and Millet facility, dedicated to advanced processing, quality assurance, and value addition.
Immediate Commercial Impact: ₹6 Crore in Business Commitments
Beyond policy frameworks, the summit demonstrated immediate commercial viability through the formal execution of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), Letters of Intent (LoIs), and Purchase Orders.
Four key MoUs were signed during the event, representing approximately 1,000 metric tonnes (MT) of healthier rice valued at ₹6 crore in commercial commitments. Key industry buyers inked agreements directly with prominent local producer bodies, including:
- KisaanSay
- Bijaylaxmi Agro
- Jaivik Sri FPC (Koraput)
- Loisingha W-FPC (Balangir)
This direct linkage ensures that smallholder farmers and women-led cooperatives remain the primary economic beneficiaries of the high-value rice value chain.
Global Vision for Food Security and Rural Prosperity
Addressing delegates, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, underscored Odisha’s emerging role on the global agricultural stage.
“Odisha is moving beyond conventional rice production towards a value-driven and farmer-centric rice economy. The state is positioned to play a key role in meeting future global food security needs,” stated Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo. “By bringing together our farmers and FPOs with research institutions, industry, and markets, we can promote healthier and nutritious rice, strengthen value addition, and create better income opportunities for our farmers. The Government is committed to providing the infrastructure, policy support, and institutional convergence required to take Odisha’s healthier rice from the field to national and global markets.”
Technical Deliberations and International Interest
The technical sessions featured prominent domain leaders, including Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav (Commissioner-cum-Secretary, DA&FE), Prof. Pravat Kumar Roul (Vice-Chancellor, OUAT), and Mohammad Sultan (Director General, Indian Rice Export Federation). Representatives from the Embassy of Madagascar and commercial international importers were also in attendance.
Discussions focused on vital aspects of scaling the market, including supply chain integration, end-to-end traceability, quality control protocols, and global export scalability. The collaborative framework established at the summit lays a concrete foundation to deliver healthier nutrition options to global consumers while driving long-term prosperity across rural Odisha.
