The story
Irrigation from the Hirakud dam turned Bargarh into one of Odisha's biggest paddy-growing districts. Rice mills clustered around the town to process the surplus for the public distribution system and private trade. By-products such as bran and husk feed oil mills and boilers.
In numbers
The Bargarh rice mill cluster had 150 functional units, a turnover of Rs. 1,000 crore, exports of Rs. 120 crore through agents and employment of 12,000.
Brief Industrial Profile of Bargarh District, MSME-DI Cuttack, Ministry of MSME · 2012
Ways in for a newcomer
- Rice bran oil extraction
- Husk-fired power and briquette units
- Branded rice packing for retail
Problems the cluster faces
- Dependence on government custom-milling rates
- Husk ash disposal
- Power costs
Businesses to start here
Rice Mill (Mini) →Rice Husk Particle Board →Rubber Rice Polishers (Rice-Mill Rubber Parts) →Murmura (Puffed Rice) Unit →