Bhubaneswar, Jun 30: In a move to reinforce Odisha's agricultural resilience and minimize post-harvest losses, Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo chaired a high-level meeting on Monday at Lok Seva Bhavan, focusing on expanding cold storage infrastructure across the state.

Emphasizing agriculture as a continuous and employment-generating process, Singh Deo highlighted the transformation of Odisha from a food-deficit to a food-surplus state.

“Odisha’s natural abundance, long coastline, and improved maritime logistics are now supporting exports of its indigenous fragrant rice, vegetables, and grains to global markets,” he said.

The Deputy CM underscored the need to ensure efficient farm-to-market linkages and fair pricing mechanisms for farmers. He added that cold storage infrastructure in each sub-division of the state is crucial to preserving surplus produce and eliminating artificial shortages that disrupt market stability.

“A robust cold storage network will not only reduce wastage but also improve the income of farmers while enhancing Odisha’s reputation in agri-export markets,” Singh Deo noted.

During the meeting, a private firm presented a proposal for setting up cold storages in various regions of the state. Director of Agriculture Shubham Saxena and other senior officials were in attendance, signalling administrative backing for public-private collaboration.

This initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in safeguarding food supplies year-round and aligning with Odisha’s larger goal of strengthening its agri-based economy through infrastructure upgrades.

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