The Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Planning & Convergence Department, Government of Odisha, organised a two-day Internal Consultative Workshop on Odisha’s Export Ecosystem on 11 and 12 June 2026 in the Conference Hall of Hotel Kalinga Askoka, Bhubaneswar.
The workshop brought together senior government officials, sector experts, export promotion agencies, industry representatives, and knowledge partners. The objective of the workshop was clearly to strengthen Odisha’s export competitiveness, identify the challenges faced by the high-potential sectors, address value-chain gaps and build an actionable roadmap for export-led growth.
The workshop was graced by Deoranjan Kumar Singh, IAS, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Planning & Convergence Department, Government of Odisha. The inaugural session featured addresses by Rashmita Panda, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, MSME Department, Subhashree Nanda, Additional Secretary, Planning and Convergence Department, Dr. B.B.Nanda, Director of Economics and Statistics, Manas Ranjan Samal, OSD, Directorate of Economics and Statistics and Laxmidhar Biswal, Joint Director, Directorate of Economics and Statistics.
While addressing the workshop, D.K. Singh spoke about India’s traditional trade strengths. He highlighted how the country’s domestic enterprise, cultural depth and resilient trade practices continue to stand firm amid evolving geopolitical challenges. He also underlined the importance of market diversification in response to global uncertainties. Citing Odisha’s historic maritime trade traditions, including Bali Jatra, and the State’s distinctive skill base, he said Odisha possesses unique strengths that remain deeply relevant to modern export growth.
Singh appreciated the inputs provided by experts of the Strategic Management Support Team under the leadership of the Director, Directorate of Economics and Statistics. He lauded their efforts for bringing focused attention to export competitiveness and for grounding the discussions in practical realities for the State’s greater development.“Export is no longer a choice. It is the need of the hour and imperative for development of the State”, he said.
The discussions further examined Odisha’s current export landscape, sectoral composition, key commodities, production clusters and competitive strengths. Stakeholders also reviewed constraints across infrastructure, logistics, quality standards, certification, finance, compliance, and market access.
Dedicated technical sessions were held on agriculture exports, manufacturing exports, and seafood exports, with strong deliberations from other potential sectors such as handlooms, handicrafts, engineering goods, and electronics. The discussions also covered crucial enablers of exports such as export insurance, logistics, testing, certification, and export finance. Participating institutions included APEDA, ECGC, EEPC, MPEDA, SEAIOR, ORMAS, APICOL, AROMA, MSME Department, Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department, Electronics & IT Department, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department, and other key stakeholders.
The workshop placed strong emphasis on identifying priority export commodities and emerging markets. It also focused on value-chain strengthening and policy interventions needed to improve Odisha’s global market access.
The deliberations generated practical recommendations for infrastructure support, capacity building, financing, institutional coordination, and sector-specific export promotion. Best practices and successful models from other states were also discussed for possible adaptation in Odisha.
The workshop concluded with a clear way forward. The key inputs will support the development of a focused export strategy for Odisha. The strategy will aim to enhance competitiveness, expand market reach, and unlock the export potential of the State’s priority sectors.
