Deputy Chief Minister K V Sigh Deo said that the state government has decided to set up at least 58 cold storage units at an investment of Rs 252 crore by 2029-2030.
The ambitious project, according to Deo, who also handles the agriculture portfolio, is designed to create robust cold chain infrastructure and stronger market linkages for the state’s farmers.
Deo was speaking at the Cold Storage Conclave and Buyer-Seller Meet in Bhubaneswar, organised by the Agricultural Promotion & Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd (APICOL) in association with ASSOCHAM.
“The state government has set an ambitious target to establish cold storage units in 58 sub-divisions by FY’30, with a proposed budget outlay of Rs 252 crore,” Singh, who is also in-charge of the agriculture and farmers empowerment department, said.
He highlighted that the government is offering significant policy support, including capital investment subsidies and interest reimbursement, to revitalize existing defunct units and ensure the long-term success of new projects.
A strong collaboration across the value chain is essential to unlock the full potential of the sector, he said.
🌾 Strengthening Agri-Infrastructure & Market Linkages 🌾
Today, I attended the Cold Storage Conclave and Buyer–Seller Meet at Hotel Welcome by ITC, Bhubaneswar.
This important platform brought together stakeholders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to deliberate on enhancing… pic.twitter.com/nzP3LGXaXQ
— Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo (Modiji Ka Parivar) (@KVSinghDeo1) December 13, 2025
Speaking at the conclave, Principal Secretary of the department, Arabinda Padhee, noted that this aligns with Odisha’s shift towards market-led agriculture.
He further noted that Odisha has been a rice-surplus state for the last 16-17 years, supplying rice to over 12 states, and produced nearly 15 million tonnes of food grains along with an equal volume of horticultural products in the last agricultural year.
Padhee said the state government has drafted a comprehensive cold storage policy with ‘attractive incentives’ to strengthen the ecosystem and woo private investment.
