Bhubaneswar: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), in collaboration with the Government of Odisha and APICOL (Agricultural Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited), is organizing a day-long Cold Storage Conclave & Buyer-Seller Meet in Bhubaneswar on December 13, 2025 (Saturday).
Shri Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, Chairman of the Odisha State Development Council, ASSOCHAM, announced the event, emphasizing the state’s potential. He noted that with progressive policies and targeted initiatives in agriculture, Odisha continues to emerge as a strong investment-ready state, making it an ideal platform for industry engagement and collaboration in developing a robust cold chain ecosystem.
Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who is also holding Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Portfolio is keen for developing a Comprehensive Cold Chain Infrastructure in Odisha, said Shri Mohanty, ASSOCHAM Odisha Chief.
The conclave aims to bring together key stakeholders for focused discussions. Sessions are designed to highlight crucial areas for agricultural growth and infrastructure development, including: Strengthening the horticulture value chain, exploring opportunities for export promotion and facilitating market linkages to support agri-business growth in the state.
The event aligns with the Odisha Government’s concerted efforts to set up more cold storages across the state to enhance post-harvest management and support the agricultural sector. The overarching theme of the conclave is to “innovate, collaborate, and strengthen the cold chain ecosystem in Odisha.”
The scope for cold storage in Odisha is extensive and urgent, driven by a significant gap between the state’s perishable agricultural and marine production and its current storage capacity. The government is actively promoting investment to close this gap and reduce massive post-harvest losses.
The state is actively encouraging Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to create, operate, and maintain the cold chain infrastructure.
The overall scope is to develop a seamless, integrated farm-to-market cold chain to drastically reduce post-harvest losses, stabilize prices for consumers, and ensure better price realization for farmers.