Bhubaneswar: The flagship rural fair ‘Sisir Saras 2026’, organised by the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and Subhadra Shakti, has been extended until January 20 following a surge in footfall and growing public interest, officials said on Saturday. The fair is being held at the IDCO Exhibition Ground here.
The decision to extend the fair by two days was taken in view of the enthusiastic response from visitors, who have been thronging the food courts, handloom and handicraft stalls, rural enterprise displays and cultural programmes since its inauguration on January 10.
Adding significance to the event, ORMAS today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Kerala, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), to promote value-added coconut-based products and strengthen rural livelihoods. Under the agreement, CPCRI will transfer technology to ORMAS to enable commercial production linked to coconut farming.
ICAR-CPCRI director K Balachandra Hebbar said Odisha has been identified by the Union government as one of the two most suitable states in the country for coconut cultivation, citing favourable agro-climatic conditions and market potential. He said the collaboration with ORMAS could play a key role in enhancing farmers’ income and appreciated the state government for expediting the MoU process.
Minister of rural development, panchayati raj and drinking water Rabi Narayan Naik, who was present on the occasion, said initiatives like Sisir Saras should go beyond being short-term fairs. Stressing the need to promote indigenous products, he urged people to incorporate handloom and locally made goods into their daily lives and support artisans and women self-help groups by choosing handmade products on social and festive occasions.
Several community-based organisations (CBOs) and self-help groups from across the country were felicitated for their performance during the fair. The Sakhi Mandal of Gujarat won the Best Display award, while the Best New Product award went to the Sundargarh Agricraft Producer Company. The Pottangi Agro Producer Company of Koraput received the Best Packaging award, and the Mayur-Shilpa Producer Group of Mayurbhanj bagged the Best Food Stall award for highest sales.
Other honours included Best Outside State New Product for Ashara Aloka of Tripura, Best Theme Stall for the Nilagiri Lacquer Producer Group of Balasore, and Best Selling Skills for the Laxmi Narayan Women Self-Help Group of Jajpur.
ORMAS chief executive officer Monica Priyadarshini and additional CEO Sanjeeb Kumar Singh, along with other senior officials, attended the programme. Naik congratulated the ORMAS and Subhadra Shakti teams for their coordinated efforts, describing the fair as a vital platform linking rural producers with urban markets.
Evening cultural programmes featuring folk dance and music have added to the festive atmosphere, while the food courts and children’s zone continue to draw large crowds. With the extension, organisers expect footfall to increase further over the weekend.
