CM Majhi Unveils Odisha's Food Processing Vision; First-Ever Sectoral Investment Roadshow Draws Strong Industry Response

New Delhi, August 7, 2026: "Food processing is not merely another industry. It is the bridge between our farmers' prosperity, rural transformation and Odisha's industrial future. Every investment in this sector creates value at the farm, generates employment in villages, strengthens exports and builds a stronger economy. Odisha is ready to become India's preferred destination for food processing, and I invite industry to partner with us in this journey."

With this vision, Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi today outlined a new growth agenda for Odisha at Odisha Food Pro 2026, the state's first sector-focused investment roadshow organised outside Odisha. More than an investment event, the initiative signalled Odisha's strategic shift towards developing integrated food processing ecosystems that connect agriculture with manufacturing, exports and global markets.

Led by Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, the event was attended by Hon'ble Minister for Industries Shri Sampad Chandra Swain, Chief Secretary Smt. Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries Shri Hemant Sharma, senior officials of the Government of Odisha, over 300 industry leaders, food processing associations, entrepreneurs, investors and business delegates from across the country. The roadshow witnessed the signing of 27 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) involving a proposed investment of ₹41,748 crore, with the potential to generate 35,252 employment opportunities, reaffirming growing industry confidence in Odisha's food processing ecosystem. In addition, the Government of Odisha received 12 Investment Intent Forms (IIFs) involving a proposed investment of ₹1,689 crore, with the potential to generate 8,064 employment opportunities. Cumulatively, on the first day of the visit, the Government of Odisha secured total investment proposals worth ₹43,437 crore, with the potential to create 43,316 employment opportunities, reflecting strong investor confidence in the state's rapidly emerging food processing ecosystem.

Addressing industry leaders, the Chief Minister said Odisha is no longer looking at food processing only as an industrial sector but as an economic transformation that directly benefits farmers, fishermen, women entrepreneurs, Self-Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organisations and rural enterprises. He said the government's vision is to ensure that every major agricultural and marine product produced in Odisha is increasingly processed within the state, creating higher incomes for producers while generating sustainable employment for youth.

Highlighting Odisha's inherent strengths, Shri Majhi said "The state offers investors a unique combination of abundant raw materials, ten agro-climatic zones, a 575-kilometre coastline, thriving fisheries, expanding port infrastructure, improving logistics connectivity and one of India's most investor-friendly policy environments. He emphasised that these natural and institutional advantages provide industries with a complete ecosystem from sourcing raw materials to manufacturing, exports and global market access."

The Chief Minister also unveiled a long-term roadmap centred on five strategic pillars: creation of specialised food processing clusters, expansion of integrated cold-chain and warehousing infrastructure, strengthening food quality and certification systems, deeper integration of FPOs, MSMEs and women Self-Help Groups with organised industry, and development of a globally competitive skilled workforce. He said these interventions would enable Odisha to emerge as a major hub for value-added food manufacturing in the coming decade.

Reiterating the government's commitment to investment facilitation, Shri Majhi assured industry that Team Odisha would continue to provide seamless support from project conceptualisation to commissioning through transparent governance, faster approvals and continuous institutional handholding. He noted that Odisha's improving investment climate reflects the government's emphasis on policy stability, execution and investor confidence.

Addressing the gathering, Hon'ble Minister for Industries, Skill Development & Technical Education, Shri Sampad Chandra Swain, said, "Our vision is to transform Odisha into a globally competitive hub for value-added food processing by unlocking the full potential of our agricultural and marine resources. We are building an integrated ecosystem where farmers, MSMEs, Farmer Producer Organisations, women-led enterprises and global industries grow together, creating quality employment, enhancing rural incomes and driving sustainable industrial development. Backed by progressive reforms, skilled human capital, world-class infrastructure and responsive governance, Odisha today offers investors not just opportunities but the confidence to build, innovate and grow for the long term."

The Chief Minister subsequently held a series of one-on-one meetings with leading industry leaders to discuss project-specific investment opportunities, strategic partnerships and long-term collaboration in food processing and allied sectors. These engagements form part of the Government of Odisha's two-day investment outreach in New Delhi aimed at deepening industry partnerships and accelerating high-quality investments into the state.

As the government's first dedicated sectoral investment roadshow, Odisha Food Pro 2026 represents more than a business engagement. It marks the beginning of a focused strategy to position Odisha at the centre of India's next phase of food processing growth, transforming the state's agricultural abundance into globally competitive industries, higher farmer incomes, stronger exports and large-scale employment while reinforcing Odisha's role as the growth engine of eastern India.