Bhubaneswar: In a major push toward building a market-oriented, future-ready agricultural ecosystem, the Odisha Healthier Rice Business Summit 2026 was organised in the capital city here on Saturday. 

The summit was jointly organised by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE), the Department of Mission Shakti, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and ORMAS.

The event brought together key stakeholders—including farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), women-led producer groups, private processors, and research institutions—to transition Odisha’s rice sector from conventional cultivation to a value-driven and 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, highlighted state government’s steadfast commitment to empowering growers and enhancing rural incomes.

“Odisha is moving beyond conventional rice production towards a value-driven and farmer-centric rice economy. The state will play a key role in meeting future global food security needs. By bringing together the cultivators 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,” said Singh Deo.

According to him, the state 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.

On the occasion, several key industry buyers and FPOs entered into agreements to buy around 1,000 tonnes of healthier rice from Odisha.