India's Makhana Economy: 80,590 MT Output, ₹192.96 Crore Exports and Bihar's 80-85% Global Supply
📅 Published 1 September 2026•Updated 12 September 2026•⏱ 9 min read•EconomyGS-3
Foxnut/Makhana in Nawada district, Bihar · FacetsOfNonStickPans · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsImage source ↗
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India's Makhana Economy: 80,590 MT Output, ₹192.96 Crore
Exports and Bihar's 80-85% Global Supply Share
Why in News?
India is the world's largest producer of makhana, and Bihar contributes nearly three-fourths of national
production while accounting for about 80-85% of global supply.
India's makhana production was 63,910 MT in 2024-25 with average productivity of 2.03 MT per hectare;
the 2025-26 second advance estimate rose to 80,590 MT with productivity of 2.34 MT per hectare.
Bihar alone produced about 60,000 MT in 2025-26 with average productivity around 2.00 MT per hectare.
Exports and Value Addition
India exported 7,264.89 MT of makhana products in 2025-26 with export value of ₹19,296.08 lakh, or
about ₹192.96 crore.
The difference between raw output and export volume shows that the domestic market remains important and
that value addition can raise earnings without exporting the majority of production.
Roasting, flavouring, grading, packaging and branding convert a traditional aquatic seed into a premium snack
product.
Export growth requires food-safety standards, moisture control, traceability and consistent quality.
National Makhana Board
The National Makhana Board was announced in Union Budget 2025-26 and formally launched in Bihar on
15September 2025.
The Board is intended to strengthen production, processing, marketing, research and farmer support across the
value chain.
A dedicated commodity institution can coordinate research, seed quality, mechanisation, FPOs and export
promotion.
Governance success should be measured through farmer price realisation and productivity, not only branding.
₹476.03 Crore Central Sector Scheme
The Central **Sector Scheme **for Development of Makhana has an outlay of ₹476.03 crore for 2025-26 to
2030-31.
₹30 crore was approved for 2025-26 and ₹90 crore for 2026-27.
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The scheme supports research, quality seed, farmer skills, harvesting, post-harvest systems, value addition,
branding, exports and quality control.
Because it is a Central Sector Scheme, funding architecture differs from Centrally Sponsored Schemes that
involve State cost sharing.
Geography of Makhana
Makhana, Euryale ferox, is an aquatic crop grown in ponds, wetlands and shallow water systems.
Production is concentrated in North Bihar, especially the Kosi basin districts of Supaul, Saharsa and Madhepura
and adjoining Mithila and Seemanchal regions.
Wetland ecology, water depth and labour-intensive harvesting shape the production system.
Climate and hydrological changes in floodplain landscapes can therefore directly affect makhana livelihoods.
GI and Branding
Mithila Makhana has Geographical Indication recognition, linking product reputation with geographic origin.
GI can help prevent misuse of a regional name and support premium branding, but registration alone does not
guarantee higher farmer income.
Traceability, collective marketing and quality standards are required to translate GI recognition into market
power.
FPOs can aggregate small producers and negotiate better with processors and retailers.
Productivity Story
National average productivity rose from 2.03 MT/ha in 2024-25 to an estimated 2.34 MT/ha in 2025-26.
Productivity improvement reduces pressure to expand into ecologically sensitive wetlands merely to raise output.
Research on improved varieties, nursery systems and mechanised popping can reduce labour intensity.
Technology must remain accessible to small cultivators so value-chain modernisation does not concentrate gains
among processors.
Nutrition and Market Demand
Makhana is marketed as a low-fat snack and is used in traditional diets, fasting foods and value-added products.
Health-conscious urban demand has increased domestic prices and encouraged startups to enter flavoured and
packaged segments.
Premiumisation creates opportunities but also exposes farmers to demand cycles and quality standards.
Market intelligence can help FPOs decide between raw sale, processing and contract supply.
Bihar Development Link
With about 60,000 MT production in 2025-26 and 80-85% of global supply linked to Bihar, makhana is a
natural candidate for district-level agro-processing clusters.
Processing close to production can retain more value and employment in North Bihar.
Cold chains are less central than for perishables, but drying, grading, storage and moisture management are
critical.
Road, rail, testing laboratories and export facilitation can turn a regional crop into a durable rural-industry
ecosystem.
Way Forward
Use the ₹476.03 crore scheme to improve seed, mechanisation and farmer-level processing.
Create transparent price and export dashboards for the 80,590 MT national production base.
Strengthen GI traceability and **FPO-**led branding.
Protect wetlands and water quality while improving productivity on existing cultivated systems.
Build Bihar-based processing clusters so a larger share of the ₹192.96 crore export value and growing
domestic market reaches producers.
**Prelims Quick Revision
Scientific name**: Euryale ferox.
India production: 63,910 MT in 2024-25 → estimated 80,590 MT in 2025-26.
Bihar: ~60,000 MT in 2025-26; about 80-85% of global supply.
Central Sector Scheme: ₹476.03 crore, 2025-26 to 2030-31.
National Makhana Board launched in Bihar on 15September 2025.
Probable Mains Question
Makhana demonstrates how a geographically concentrated traditional crop can become a global
value chain. Discuss the opportunities and ecological challenges with special reference to Bihar.
