Millers for Nutrition powered by TechnoServe and industry stakeholders come together to promote fortified staples and address hidden hunger

Bengaluru :Panchamrutha Industries Pvt. Ltd., in collaboration with Millers for Nutrition powered by TechnoServe, today announced the launch of Panchamrutha Deluxe Fortified Rice enriched with 9 essential vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12) and minerals (Folic Acid, Zinc, and Iron) during a special industry workshop titled “Unlocking Market Potential: Advancing Fortified Rice in Karnataka” held in Bengaluru.

The event brought together representatives from government bodies, nutrition experts, healthcare professionals, food fortification specialists, rice millers, and industry stakeholders to discuss the growing role of fortified staples in combating micronutrient deficiencies and improving nutrition outcomes in India.

With a growing presence across South India, Panchamrutha Industries has evolved from a traditional grain business into a nutrition-led FMCG company focused on fortified staples and health-oriented food products.

Operating from its advanced processing facility in Dharwad with a production capacity of over 300 tonnes per day, the company combines modern fortification technology with its vision of making quality nutrition accessible to every household. Shri Dinesh Gundurao – State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, said, “Congratulations to Panchamrutha for introducing fortified rice into the market.

It is most important that what we consume is nutritious, as our society has already seen a high impact of eating unhealthy food especially by young children. Therefore, this introduction of fortified staple food by Panchamrutha, will help us in terms of delivering good nutrition.

This will also help poor section of the society as they get this nutrition in their staple food. And, based on the scientific analysis and how it is helping people, and how it is impacting their health, even our department can also think of promoting the use of fortified food.” Speaking at the event, Mr. Jambulingappa Hosmani, Managing Director, Panchamrutha Industries Pvt. Ltd, said, “According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), approximately 67% of children under 5, 59% of adolescent girls, and 57% of women of reproductive age are anemic.

At Panchamrutha, we believe staple foods can play a transformative role in improving public health outcomes. Through the launch of Panchamrutha Deluxe Fortified Rice, we aim to make nutritious rice accessible to everyday households while contributing to the larger national mission of addressing hidden hunger and micronutrient deficiencies.

Our vision is to make nutrition a standard feature in every kitchen, not a luxury.” Panchamrutha Industries officially entered the fortified rice segment in 2023 with a focus on making fortified staples accessible to consumers at no additional cost.

The company’s fortified rice range is enriched with essential vitamins and minerals including Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Zinc, and B-complex vitamins, while maintaining the same taste, aroma, and cooking characteristics as regular rice. Dr. Usharani Dandamudi, Scientist F, Department of Food Safety and Analytical Quality Control Laboratory, CSIR-CFTRI, said, “Rice fortification is one of the most practical and scalable approaches to addressing micronutrient deficiencies in a country like India where rice is consumed daily across households.

Greater awareness and adoption of fortified staples can play an important role in building a healthier future for communities.” Commenting on the growing need for nutrition-focused interventions, Clinical Nutrician and Diet influencer, Pallavi Idooru, said, “Iron deficiency and anaemia continue to affect a large number of women in India, particularly adolescent girls, pregnant women, and young mothers.

Fortified staples such as fortified rice can play a meaningful role in improving everyday nutritional intake and supporting better maternal and overall health outcomes when consumed regularly as part of a balanced diet.” India continues to face a significant burden of hidden hunger, with iron deficiency and anaemia impacting millions of women and children across the country.

Fortified rice is increasingly being recognized as an effective and scalable intervention to improve nutrition security by delivering essential vitamins and minerals through a staple consumed daily by millions of households. Speaking on the importance of industry participation in food fortification, Mr. Abhishek Shukla, Country Program Manager – India, Millers for Nutrition, said, “Rice is consumed by millions of families every day, making it one of the most effective vehicles for delivering improved nutrition at scale.

The launch of Panchamrutha Deluxe Fortified Rice represents an important step towards expanding consumer access to fortified staples and strengthening industry participation in India’s nutrition journey. Scaling fortified staples in the open market will play a critical role in advancing nutrition security and improving awareness around healthier food choices.”

The programme featured discussions on food fortification policies, regulatory frameworks, India’s battle against malnutrition and anaemia, micronutrient stability in fortified rice, and collaborative approaches to scaling nutrition impact across communities.

The workshop also highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry, policymakers, nutrition experts, and development organizations in accelerating awareness and adoption of fortified foods in the open market. About Panchamrutha Industries Panchamrutha Industries is a Karnataka-based food company engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of rice and staple food products.

The company focuses on delivering high-quality and nutrition-oriented food solutions for Indian consumers through innovation and responsible food processing practices.

About Millers for NutritionMillers for Nutrition is supported by Strategic Fortification Partners: BASF, BioAnalyt, dsm-firmenich, Mühlenchemie, SternVitamin; Regional Strategic Fortification Partners: Hexagon Nutrition, Piramal, Sanku; and a growing group of local technical partners that share a common vision of improving food processing practices and fortification excellence to benefit society and enhance business sustainability. Millers for Nutrition is powered by TechnoServe with funding support from the Gates Foundation.

Millers, food fortification stakeholders, and others interested in joining the coalition can learn more at millersfornutrition.com