Bhubaneswar, Aug 7 (IANS) The Odisha government on Friday signed 27 Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) involving a proposed investment of Rs 41,748 crore and the potential to generate 35,252 jobs, signaling growing industry confidence in the state’s food-processing ecosystem.
The MoUs were signed at Food Pro 2026 in New Delhi, the first sector-focused investment roadshow organised outside Odisha.
Expounding the vision behind the programme, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, “The 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.”
The officials also claimed that 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.
In addition, the Odisha government also received 12 Investment Intent Forms (IIFs) involving a proposed investment of Rs 1,689 crore, with the potential to generate 8,064 employment opportunities.
Cumulatively, on the first day of the visit, the Odisha government secured total investment proposals worth Rs 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 viewing food processing merely as an industrial sector but as a means of economic transformation benefiting farmers, fishermen, women entrepreneurs, Self-Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and rural enterprises.
He added that the Odisha government aims to ensure that major agricultural and marine products are increasingly processed within the state, raising producers’ incomes and creating sustainable jobs for youth.
Highlighting Odisha’s strengths, Chief Minister Majhi said the state offers investors a unique combination of abundant raw materials, 10 agro-climatic zones, a 575-km coastline, thriving fisheries, expanding port infrastructure, improving logistics connectivity and an investor-friendly policy environment.
He added that these advantages provide industries with an end-to-end ecosystem, from raw material sourcing and manufacturing to exports and global market access.
Chief Minister Majhi 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 that these interventions would enable Odisha to emerge as a major hub for value-added food manufacturing in the coming decade.
Chief Minister 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 state government’s emphasis on policy stability, execution and investor confidence.
The Chief Minister also 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.
–IANS
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