FarmX proposes Rs 1,000 crore investment in Odisha; electric tractor plant on cards

Bhubaneswar: Silicon Valley-based high-technology firm FarmX has expressed its interest to invest Rs 1,000 crore in Odisha. The company has a plan to establish the state as an advanced manufacturing and export hub for autonomous electric tractors, AI software, robotics, and intelligent farm systems. A high-level delegation of the company, led by Chief Operating Officer Premal Ashar and Head of AI Lalit Bhatt, met Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Additional Chief Secretary (E&IT) Vishal Kumar Dev in the capital city recently. Highlighting Odisha’s vision for deep-technology adoption, the Deputy Chief Minister stated that the state is actively attracting global innovators across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and electric mobility to empower local youth with high-skilled jobs and boost agricultural productivity. According to the government, the proposed project integrates a state-of-the-art manufacturing campus with a smart precision farming initiative. It is likely to create up to 1,120 direct and 3,700 indirect jobs in the state. The unit aims to achieve an annual production capacity of 1,000 autonomous electric tractors and 1 lakh field-sensing units for domestic and international markets. The initiative brings cutting-edge agricultural solutions to local fields through FarmMap, FarmX's open-architecture platform. Utilizing satellite imagery, patented OSMO soil moisture sensors, and a regional-language mobile app in Odia, the system delivers real-time farm intelligence and automated irrigation to optimize water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage. The proposal, currently under active discussion, underscores Odisha's commitment to facilitating ready infrastructure, rapid policy support, and global market connectivity for pioneering industries, said the state government.