Odisha Healthier Rice Business Summit 2026 brings Government, research institutions, farmers, FPOs and market players together to build a future-ready rice value chain.

Bhubaneswar, India (3 October 2026) — Odisha is taking a significant step towards building a market-oriented ecosystem for healthier and nutritious rice. The Odisha Healthier Rice Business Summit 2026, held in Bhubaneswar, brought together farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), women-led producer groups, buyers, processors, research institutions and Government.

The summit is being organized under the Promoting SHG Led Entrepreneurship through Rice Value Addition (RVA) initiative, a joint effort of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE) and the Department of Mission Shakti, and ORMAS (Odisha Rural Development And Marketing Society) under the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha, and implemented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). It builds on Odisha’s broader rice value addition efforts, connecting research and production with processing, value addition, and markets.

According to Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment. Odisha is moving toward a value-driven, farmer-centric rice economy.

“By linking farmers and FPOs with research, industry and markets, we can promote healthier rice and create better incomes for farmers. The government is committed to providing the infrastructure and policy support needed to take Odisha’s healthier rice to national and global markets,” he said.

The initiative includes a portfolio of healthier rice, including low- and ultra-low-GI, high-protein, micronutrient-rich, traditional aromatic, and antioxidant-rich pigmented varieties. Production currently covers about 1,200 hectares, with plans to expand to 10,000 hectares over the next four to five years.

To support this expansion, Odisha will establish a state-of-the-art Specialty Rice and Millet facility for processing, value addition and market development, with technical support from IRRI. The facility is designed to help turn the state’s rice and millet resources into higher-value products and connect them with markets.

Private-sector interest is also growing. Buyers and market players are engaging directly with FPOs on procurement, processing, branding and distribution. Business commitments announced at the Summit cover about 1,000 MT, with an indicative value of ₹6 crore (~6,000USD), involving five buyers and five FPOs.

Research institutions will play a key role in matching market demand with appropriate varieties, production systems, quality control and traceability. IRRI and Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) are working together on varietal development, field validation, extension and evidence generation, while engaging government, farmers and market players to identify future research priorities.

The broader aim is to build a value chain that connects research, farmers, FPOs, businesses and markets, supported by government infrastructure and policy. As the Summit’s central message states: “Odisha is taking healthier rice from the research plot to the market, and the farmer is the first beneficiary.”