Odisha Secures ₹43,437 Crore Through 27 MoUs, 12 LoIs at FoodPro 2026

Odisha has secured investment proposals worth ₹43,437 crore at Odisha FoodPro 2026 in New Delhi, with the state seeking to build a major food-processing industry in eastern India and use the sector as part of its strategy to expand the economy to $500 billion by 2036.

The commitments announced on Friday cover 27 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) involving proposed investments of ₹41,748 crore and 12 additional investment intents worth ₹1,689 crore. The MoUs are expected to generate 35,252 jobs, while the investment intents could create another 8,064 employment opportunities.

The summit brought together more than 300 industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and representatives of food-processing associations. It was Odisha’s first sector-focused investment roadshow held outside the state.

The food-processing push is tied to a larger economic objective. Odisha’s economy, currently valued at $113 billion, is targeted to reach $500 billion by 2036 and $1.5 trillion by 2047. The state also plans to create 10 million non-farm jobs by 2047, according to Chief Secretary Anu Garg.

For Odisha, the strategy is not limited to attracting factories. The government wants more agricultural and marine produce originating in the state to be processed locally rather than leaving the state as raw commodities. The aim is to retain more value within Odisha while improving returns for farmers and fishermen, creating rural employment and expanding export opportunities.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi told investors that  food processing could connect farm incomes, rural development and industrial expansion. He said investment in the sector could create value closer to the point of production, generate jobs in rural areas, strengthen exports and contribute to the state’s wider economic growth.

Odisha is pitching its existing resource base as a foundation for that expansion. The state has 10 agro-climatic zones, a 575-km coastline, substantial fisheries resources, expanding port infrastructure and improving connectivity. The government believes these advantages, combined with policy support, can give companies access to raw materials as well as processing, logistics and domestic and international markets.

Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said Odisha’s opportunity lies in moving agricultural and marine production further up the value chain instead of restricting the sector to primary production.

The state’s output includes rice, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables and spices, while its tribal regions produce commodities such as turmeric, tamarind and honey. Swain said these products carry significant commercial potential and that the government wants to develop an ecosystem where farmers, farmer producer organisations (FPOs), micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), women-led enterprises and large industries can expand alongside one another.

To support that ecosystem, the government has identified five priorities: specialised food-processing clusters; integrated cold-chain and warehousing infrastructure; stronger food-quality and certification systems; closer integration of FPOs, MSMEs and women’s self-help groups with organised industry; and development of a globally competitive skilled workforce.

Investment is also being sought for food parks, cold-chain logistics, testing laboratories, packaging facilities and export infrastructure. Majhi said the broader objective was to establish Odisha as a major hub for value-added food manufacturing over the coming decade.

The state’s broader investment performance is another part of its pitch. Odisha accounted for 13.1 per cent of India’s total investments in 2025-26, surpassing traditional investment-heavy states, while its average project turnaround time was around 160 days.

The Chief Minister held one-on-one meetings with leading industry representatives during the New Delhi programme to discuss investment opportunities, partnerships and projects in food processing and allied sectors.

Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department Hemant Sharma presented Odisha’s advantages to investors and outlined the factors behind its emergence as a food-processing hub in eastern India. MSME Department Secretary Rashmita Panda and Ipicol Managing Director Aboli Sunil Naravane also attended the event along with senior government officials and industry representatives.