OSIC launches Odi-Tech brand to market MSME products

The state-owned Odisha Small Industries Corporation has launched two new brands- Odi-Food (for food items) and odi-Tech (for non-food items) to market the products of state based micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

OSIC initiative has come at the behest of the state MSME department which has been exploring avenues to boost sales of products made by MSMEs within the state and outside including exports.

The first products to be included under the Odi-Tech series are in the agriculture sector. The products are power thresher cum-winnower, pedal thresher, cono weeder and heavy soil plough.

Odi-Food series was launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the MSME Trade Fair - 2015 held in January. The double fortified salt is the first item to be launched in the Odi-Food series. Though the state based MSMEs are manufacturing high quality products, due to non-availability of proper marketing platform, their products are not finding buyers in the national and international arena. By this initiative of brand building and marketing through OSIC, the MSME department aims at popularising and increasing the sale of MSME products as a long term policy initiative of the state government. The state PSU is in talks with various industry bodies to short list the products to be brought under brand marketing in future.

OSIC has also proposed to include cashew products, turmeric powder, chilly powder and rice produced by the tribals in KBK districts, which are in demand in the national and international markets, but the farmers are not fetching proper price because of their inability to market the products in an organised manner.

As many as 7,009 MSMEs have gone into production in the state with an investment of Rs 669.44 crore during 2013-14, as per the Odisha Economic Survey report for 2014-15. With 7,009 new MSMEs set up during the period, the total units in the state stands at 1, 30, 301. Cumulatively Rs 5,639 crore have been invested in thse units.