NDDB, IIT Kharagpur Sign MoU to Boost Edible Oil Value Chain

AHMEDABAD : Dilip Ghosh, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Agricultural Marketing & Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, launched NDDB’s Initiative for Strengthening the Edible Oils Value Chain in the Eastern Region at IIT Kharagpur Research Park, New Town, Kolkata on 23rd September 2026 as the Chief Guest in the esteemed presence of Shri Ashok Kirtania, Hon’ble Minister of Cooperation & Food and Supplies, Government of West Bengal. Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB; Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT Kharagpur (joined virtually) along with senior officials of Govt of West Bengal, ICAR, NABARD, NDDB, representatives of dairy cooperatives, FPOs and farmers attended.

NDDB and IIT Kharagpur signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the event to facilitate collaboration in research, technology development, field validation, capacity building, post-harvest management, processing and value addition in the edible oils sector. The partnership will combine NDDB’s experience in farmer institutions, cooperatives, FPOs and field implementation with IIT Kharagpur’s expertise in research, technology, engineering, data analysis and post-harvest systems. The initiative will receive technical support from ICAR, BARC, KVKs and State Agricultural Universities. As part of the launch programme, seed minikits were distributed to participating farmers, marking the commencement of field-level interventions.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dilip Ghosh, Hon’ble Minister of Agricultural Marketing & Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, highlighted West Bengal’s goal to increase farmers’ income through oilseed cultivation, focusing on mustard, groundnut, sunflower and sesamum. The Agricultural Marketing Department will enhance farmers’ access to aggregation, storage, processing and marketing, which will reduce post-harvest losses and boost rural employment. While stressing the importance of strengthening milk production and quality, he indicated that the existing dairy cooperative network should integrate oilseed production to improve farmers’ livelihoods. The Hon’ble Minister highlighted the need to arrange training, loan assistance and insurance facilities for farmers.

Collaborations with cooperatives will empower small farmers with better bargaining power. The Hon’ble Minister mentioned that the NDDB-IIT Kharagpur partnership will provide affordable technologies and facilitate the procurement and marketing of edible oils. Praising NDDB’s expertise, Shri Ghosh stated that the people of West Bengal are waiting for NDDB to enhance the state’s agricultural infrastructure.

Appreciating the initiative for strengthening the edible oil value chain, Shri Ashok Kirtania, Hon’ble Minister of Cooperation, Food and Civil Supplies, Government of West Bengal suggested that a similar initiative could also be considered for pulses, noting that increasing domestic production would help reduce imports and benefit consumers. He said that the shared objectives of the Government of West Bengal and NDDB would ensure that the benefits of agricultural value chains reach farmers directly while reducing the role of intermediaries. The Hon’ble Minister also encouraged NDDB to develop reliable farmer-centric brands that can support producers in increasing their output and enable them to connect directly with markets and consumers.

Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB, emphasised that strengthening domestic oilseed production and the associated value chain is a focussed area for NDDB. The Govt of India has accorded high priority to the sector

under the National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO). NDDB is undertaking interventions through dairy cooperatives and FPOs, drawing upon its experience in building farmer-owned institutions and its work in the oilseeds sector, including Operation Golden Flow, oilseeds cooperatives and the Dhara brand. He also cited the potential to integrate oilseed cultivation with dairy farming and allied activities. Utilisation of oilseed by-products, farm residues and dairy waste can promote circular-economy approaches, improve resource utilisation and diversify farm incomes. The launch of the initiative and the MoU marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration that will strengthen the edible oils value chain in the Eastern Region, promoting domestic oilseed production, aggregation, processing, value addition and market linkages through a farmer-centric and cooperative-led approach.