Odisha has taken a major step towards developing a market-oriented and farmer-centric ecosystem for healthier and nutritious rice with the Odisha Healthier Rice Business Summit 2026 held in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.

The summit was jointly organised by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and the Department of Mission Shakti in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and ORMAS. It brought together farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), women-led producer groups, private processors and research institutions.

Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said Odisha was moving beyond conventional rice production towards a value-driven economy focused on improving farmer incomes.

He said Odisha could play an important role in meeting future global food security needs by connecting farmers and FPOs with research institutions, industry and markets.

The state currently produces healthier rice varieties across around 1,200 hectares, including low-GI, ultra-low GI, high-protein, micronutrient-rich and traditional aromatic varieties such as Kalajeera. The government aims to expand this area to 10,000 hectares over the next four to five years.

The summit also witnessed the signing of four MoUs and other commercial agreements covering around 1,000 metric tonnes of healthier rice, with business commitments valued at approximately ₹6 crore.

Industry and FPO participants included KisaanSay, Bijaylaxmi Agro, Jaivik Sri FPC from Koraput and Loisingha W-FPC from Balangir.

Experts discussed supply chain integration, traceability, quality assurance and market scalability, with the aim of taking Odisha’s healthier rice from farms to national and international markets.

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