Bhubaneswar, October 3: In a major push towards building a market-oriented, future-ready agricultural ecosystem, the Odisha Healthier Rice Business Summit 2026 was organised on Saturday in Bhubaneswar.
The summit demonstrated immediate commercial traction, marked by the formal execution of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Letter of Intent (LoI), and Purchase Order signing ceremonies. Business commitments announced during the programme cover approximately 1,000 metric tonnes (MT) of healthier rice valued at Rs 6 crore, involving key industry buyers and prominent FPOs such as KisaanSay, Bijaylaxmi Agro, Jaivik Sri FPC (Koraput), and Loisingha W-FPC (Balangir).
Jointly organised 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 landmark event brought together key stakeholders, including farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), women-led producer groups, private processors, and research institutions, to deliberate on the 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 -such as low-GI, ultra-low GI, high-protein, micronutrient-rich varieties, and traditional aromatic rice like Kalajeera- from the current 1,200 hectares to a target of 10,000 hectares over the next four to five years, anchored by a state-of-the-art Specialty Rice and Millet facility for advanced processing and value addition.
Addressing the delegates, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, emphasised the State Government’s steadfast commitment to empowering growers and enhancing rural incomes.
