Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra has written to the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Chirag Paswan, requesting the establishment of a national mega food park in the undivided Koraput region of Odisha. Patra emphasized the untapped potential in food processing, tribal livelihood, and agro-industry in this region, comprising Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, and Malkangiri districts. He highlighted the unique agricultural and civilizational landscapes of the area, including millet ecosystems, tribal agriculture traditions, GI-tagged products, and emerging products like Koraput Coffee and Koraput Kalajeera Rice.
Patra stressed the need for a large integrated food-processing and value-addition ecosystem in the region to leverage its agricultural excellence for sustainable prosperity, rural industrialization, export-linked growth, and tribal economic empowerment. He referenced the vision of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, advocating for tribal agriculture, millet cultivation, indigenous food systems, and farmer-centric value addition as drivers of economic transformation and social empowerment in Odisha’s aspirational regions. The MP highlighted the region’s potential to become a significant millet and tribal agro-processing hub, given its credibility, institutional ecosystem, farmer participation, and agricultural identity.
The BJD leader also pointed out the global recognition received by Koraput Coffee and the GI status granted to Koraput Kalajeera Rice, underscoring the economic opportunities these developments offer to farmers in the region. Patra warned that without essential infrastructure like integrated food-processing facilities, cold-chain systems, value-addition capabilities, branding support, and export-oriented packaging ecosystems, the region may continue to focus on primary production while missing out on economic value. He urged the Union Ministry to consider establishing a National Millet, Tribal Agro-Processing, and GI Products Mega Food Park in the Koraput region under the PM Kisan Sampada Yojana framework, along with dedicated processing and branding centers for Koraput Coffee and Koraput Kalajeera Rice.
