diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/opentelemetrycollector_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/opentelemetrycollector_types.go
index c2d728b096..604a140570 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/opentelemetrycollector_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/opentelemetrycollector_types.go
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@ type OpenTelemetryCollectorSpec struct {
 	// +optional
 	// +operator-sdk:gen-csv:customresourcedefinitions.specDescriptors=true
 	Env []v1.EnvVar `json:"env,omitempty"`
+
+	// Resources to set on the OpenTelemetry Collector pods.
+	// +optional
+	// +operator-sdk:gen-csv:customresourcedefinitions.specDescriptors=true
+	Resources v1.ResourceRequirements `json:"resources,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // OpenTelemetryCollectorStatus defines the observed state of OpenTelemetryCollector.
diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index a0131fcbd3..0afdc20e3d 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ func (in *OpenTelemetryCollectorSpec) DeepCopyInto(out *OpenTelemetryCollectorSp
 			(*in)[i].DeepCopyInto(&(*out)[i])
 		}
 	}
+	in.Resources.DeepCopyInto(&out.Resources)
 }
 
 // DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new OpenTelemetryCollectorSpec.
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/opentelemetry.io_opentelemetrycollectors.yaml b/config/crd/bases/opentelemetry.io_opentelemetrycollectors.yaml
index 017548c16c..5c220111cb 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/opentelemetry.io_opentelemetrycollectors.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/opentelemetry.io_opentelemetrycollectors.yaml
@@ -248,6 +248,32 @@ spec:
                   OpenTelemetry Collector
                 format: int32
                 type: integer
+              resources:
+                description: Resources to set on the OpenTelemetry Collector pods.
+                properties:
+                  limits:
+                    additionalProperties:
+                      anyOf:
+                      - type: integer
+                      - type: string
+                      pattern: ^(\+|-)?(([0-9]+(\.[0-9]*)?)|(\.[0-9]+))(([KMGTPE]i)|[numkMGTPE]|([eE](\+|-)?(([0-9]+(\.[0-9]*)?)|(\.[0-9]+))))?$
+                      x-kubernetes-int-or-string: true
+                    description: 'Limits describes the maximum amount of compute resources
+                      allowed. More info: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/manage-compute-resources-container/'
+                    type: object
+                  requests:
+                    additionalProperties:
+                      anyOf:
+                      - type: integer
+                      - type: string
+                      pattern: ^(\+|-)?(([0-9]+(\.[0-9]*)?)|(\.[0-9]+))(([KMGTPE]i)|[numkMGTPE]|([eE](\+|-)?(([0-9]+(\.[0-9]*)?)|(\.[0-9]+))))?$
+                      x-kubernetes-int-or-string: true
+                    description: 'Requests describes the minimum amount of compute
+                      resources required. If Requests is omitted for a container,
+                      it defaults to Limits if that is explicitly specified, otherwise
+                      to an implementation-defined value. More info: https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/manage-compute-resources-container/'
+                    type: object
+                type: object
               serviceAccount:
                 description: ServiceAccount indicates the name of an existing service
                   account to use with this instance.
diff --git a/pkg/collector/container.go b/pkg/collector/container.go
index e86d01902a..8646e33430 100644
--- a/pkg/collector/container.go
+++ b/pkg/collector/container.go
@@ -69,5 +69,6 @@ func Container(cfg config.Config, logger logr.Logger, otelcol v1alpha1.OpenTelem
 		VolumeMounts: volumeMounts,
 		Args:         args,
 		Env:          envVars,
+		Resources:    otelcol.Spec.Resources,
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/collector/container_test.go b/pkg/collector/container_test.go
index cfddf06424..7315ffa29c 100644
--- a/pkg/collector/container_test.go
+++ b/pkg/collector/container_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	logf "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -133,3 +134,45 @@ func TestContainerEmptyEnvVarsByDefault(t *testing.T) {
 	// verify
 	assert.Empty(t, c.Env)
 }
+
+func TestContainerResourceRequirements(t *testing.T) {
+	otelcol := v1alpha1.OpenTelemetryCollector{
+		Spec: v1alpha1.OpenTelemetryCollectorSpec{
+			Resources: corev1.ResourceRequirements{
+				Limits: corev1.ResourceList{
+					corev1.ResourceCPU:    resource.MustParse("100m"),
+					corev1.ResourceMemory: resource.MustParse("128M"),
+				},
+				Requests: corev1.ResourceList{
+					corev1.ResourceCPU:    resource.MustParse("200m"),
+					corev1.ResourceMemory: resource.MustParse("256M"),
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	cfg := config.New()
+
+	// test
+	c := Container(cfg, logger, otelcol)
+
+	// verify
+	assert.Equal(t, resource.MustParse("100m"), *c.Resources.Limits.Cpu())
+	assert.Equal(t, resource.MustParse("128M"), *c.Resources.Limits.Memory())
+	assert.Equal(t, resource.MustParse("200m"), *c.Resources.Requests.Cpu())
+	assert.Equal(t, resource.MustParse("256M"), *c.Resources.Requests.Memory())
+}
+
+func TestContainerDefaultResourceRequirements(t *testing.T) {
+	otelcol := v1alpha1.OpenTelemetryCollector{
+		Spec: v1alpha1.OpenTelemetryCollectorSpec{},
+	}
+
+	cfg := config.New()
+
+	// test
+	c := Container(cfg, logger, otelcol)
+
+	// verify
+	assert.Empty(t, c.Resources)
+}