Bihar’s Makhana Industry: Can a ‘Makhana Board’ Help Farmers?
Bihar produces 90% of India’s makhana (fox nuts), yet the state has not fully benefited from its growing popularity as a “superfood.” To address this, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Union Budget that a Makhana Board will be set up in Bihar.
The board will focus on improving production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana. It will also provide training and support to farmers and ensure they receive benefits from government schemes.
Why is Makhana Important?
Makhana, also known as fox nut, comes from the prickly water lily (Euryale ferox), which grows in freshwater ponds. It has been part of Hindu rituals for centuries but recently gained global popularity as a healthy snack due to its high nutritional value and low-fat content.
Bihar’s Mithila Makhana received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2022, similar to Darjeeling tea or Mysore sandal soap. Despite this, Bihar has struggled to profit from the growing makhana market due to low productivity, lack of food processing units, and poor marketing infrastructure.
Challenges in Bihar’s Makhana Industry
- Limited Processing & Export Facilities: Bihar lacks food processing industries and export infrastructure, forcing farmers to sell raw makhana at low prices to other states like Punjab and Assam, which then process and export it at higher profits.
- Manual & Labor-Intensive Harvesting: Farmers still rely on traditional methods, making makhana farming expensive and time-consuming.
- Slow Adoption of High-Yield Seeds: Despite improved varieties like Swarna Vaidehi and Sabour Makhana-1, farmers have been slow to adopt them. Traditional methods produce 1.7–1.9 tonnes per hectare, while new varieties can yield 3–3.5 tonnes per hectare.
- Lack of Awareness & Mechanization: Farmers need more training, and no efficient machine for harvesting makhana has been developed yet.
How Can the Makhana Board Help?
The Makhana Board has a ₹100 crore budget and aims to:
✔ Train farmers and make them export-ready
✔ Attract investment in food processing industries
✔ Improve marketing and export infrastructure
✔ Create better storage facilities and supply chains
The Bihar government is also working on expanding Patna, Purnea, and Darbhanga airports, which will soon have cargo facilities to boost exports.
Political & Economic Impact
With elections approaching, the announcement is expected to benefit Bihar’s ruling government. It may also help the Mallah (fishermen and boatmen) community, which primarily farms makhana and is among the most economically disadvantaged groups.
While the initiative is promising, much will depend on how effectively the state and central governments implement the plan. Previous efforts, like the National Research Centre for Makhana (set up in 2002), struggled due to lack of funding and staff.
Will the Makhana Board finally help Bihar’s farmers benefit from the booming makhana industry? Only time will tell.
