Odisha Plans Rice & Millet Processing Facility at Baramunda

Bhubaneswar: Plans for establishing a first-of-its-kind specialty rice and millet processing facility at Baramunda moved a step forward as top officials from the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department, Mission Shakti, ICAR, IRRI, OAIC, OUAT and IMAGE convened for a detailed review of the project. The meeting was chaired by Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Energy Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo.

The proposed unit will focus on producing ultra-low Glycemic Index (GI) rice varieties developed by ICAR, along with high-protein (10–12%) low-GI rice aimed at meeting the rising demand for healthier staples. With an estimated project cost of ₹91.22 crore, the initiative also includes plans for India’s first millet processing factory under the same setup.

Singh Deo highlighted that large-scale production of low-GI rice and millets will greatly benefit diabetic individuals and health-conscious consumers while creating new economic opportunities. He noted that the increasing global and domestic demand for millet further strengthens the economic potential of the project.

Principal Secretary, Agriculture, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, emphasised that the model is designed to empower women’s Self-Help Groups, enabling more “Lakhpati Didis” through direct participation in procurement, processing and marketing. He added that the project will promote Odisha’s nutritional rice varieties across the country.

Key features of the proposed factory include purification and release of low-GI rice varieties, cluster-based production systems, aggregation and marketing strategies, and a comprehensive market study to be undertaken by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Financial oversight will be managed through the CFMS framework.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to accelerate groundwork and bring the specialty rice and millet facility to operational readiness at the earliest.