Bhubaneswar: In a major push toward building a market-oriented, future-ready agricultural ecosystem, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE) and Department of Mission Shakti, Odisha government, organised the Odisha Healthier Rice Business Summit 2026 on Saturday, in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and ORMAS.
Key stakeholders like farmers, farmer producer organisations (FPOs), women-led producer groups, private processors, and research institutions came together to transition Odisha’s rice sector from conventional cultivation to a value-driven, farmer-centric economy.
Supported by technical research from IRRI and Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), the state is scaling its production of nutrient-dense crops — low-GI, ultra-low GI, high-protein, micronutrient-rich varieties, and traditional aromatic rice like Kalajeera — from 1,200 hectares to a target of 10,000 hectares over the next four to five years.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment & Energy Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo emphasised the state government’s commitment to empowering growers and enhancing rural incomes.
Singh Deo said Odisha is moving beyond conventional rice production towards a value-driven and farmer-centric rice economy, adding that the state will play a key role in meeting future global food security needs.
“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. 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,” the deputy CM said.
The summit saw the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Letter of Intent (LoI), and Purchase Order.
