Makhana, or fox nut, is one of Bihar’s most promising agricultural products. As a high-value commodity with growing appeal in the global superfood market, it can create jobs, raise rural incomes, and boost exports. This matters especially because youth unemployment in Bihar has risen from 5.6% in 2004–05 to 10.3% in 2023–24. Yet this “black diamond” remains largely confined to the domestic market even as global demand grows. The new government should leverage the crop strategically.

Bihar’s makhana dominance

Makhana is primarily cultivated in the wetlands of northern Bihar’s Mithilanchal region, in pond networks across districts such as Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnea, Katihar and Saharsa. About 10 districts account for 80-90% of India’s output, making Bihar the world’s largest producer and supporting nearly 10 lakh families engaged in cultivation and processing. Despite its growing status as a superfood, production remains labour-intensive, with hand-harvesting techniques passed down through generations.

According to the Bihar Makhana: At a Glance (2023) report, the state cultivated 32,424 hectares and produced 56,389 MT of seed and 23,656 MT of popped makhana. Production has expanded rapidly, but much of it is still absorbed domestically, leaving export potential underused. Beneath these impressive numbers lies a more fragile reality: small farming families in the flood-prone Mithila belt still lack the financial, technological and institutional support needed to move beyond subsistence. The challenge is no longer production alone, but scaling up value addition, processing and market access.

Policy measures

Recognising makhana’s export and livelihood potential, both the Centre and the Bihar government have introduced a series of policy interventions in recent years. The Union government’s Central Sector Scheme, with an outlay of ₹476.03 crore for 2025–26 to 2030–31, aims to assist small and marginal farmers in Bihar with income and livelihood support. Earlier state measures, including a 75% subsidy on high-yielding seed varieties, helped expand cultivation and improve productivity, consolidating Bihar’s leadership in makhana production.

Policy support has also extended downstream. The GST Council’s decision to reduce GST on makhana-based snacks from 12% to 5% should lower costs by 6–7% for processors and exporters and improve competitiveness. These measures signal a growing policy recognition of makhana as a strategic crop. But translating this policy momentum into sustained export growth will require stronger implementation and market linkages.

The global market potential

Global demand for makhana is rising steadily as health-conscious consumers seek nutritious alternatives. It is high in protein, rich in fibre and minerals, low in fat, gluten-free, and has a low glycaemic load, making it particularly attractive in the global superfood market.

A major boost came in 2022, when Mithila Makhana received a Geographical Indication tag, strengthening its brand and export credibility. India exported over 11,770 metric tonnes in 2019–20, with the United States as the largest market, followed by the UAE and Nepal, with the United Kingdom and Australia also emerging as important destinations. With demand projected to grow by about 9-10%, Bihar can move from bulk producer to branded exporter if structural constraints are addressed.

Addressing challenges

In the run-up to the recent Assembly election, makhana emerged as a key policy issue. The proposed Bihar Makhana Board, with an initial outlay of ₹100 crore, could help position the state as a global export hub by supporting FPOs, research, extension services, branding and export outreach. Working in coordination with the National Makhana Board, it can give the sector much needed institutional direction.

Proposed investments in processing, storage, and logistics could address major bottlenecks, while higher income support, village-level procurement and reduced dependence on intermediaries could help stabilise farmer incomes. Their success, however, will depend on whether they translate into reliable market access for small producers. Decentralised processing units, mega food parks and better transport can also reduce post-harvest losses and enable value addition closer to production centres.

The new government’s real challenge is to remove the bottlenecks holding the sector back: low productivity, weak processing infrastructure, informal market linkages, and poor export branding. It must strengthen FPOs, expand decentralised processing, build formal domestic and export channels, and ensure promised support reaches small and marginal farmers.

The road ahead

Bihar’s makhana is distinctive, health consciousness is increasing, and rising global demand for superfoods, along with stronger policy support, gives the state a rare opening. Bihar must use it to become not just the world’s largest producer of makhana, but a leader in processing, branding and exports. Delay could mean losing future markets as other countries begin to recognise the crop’s potential.

Makhana’s success also offers a broader lesson for Bihar’s development strategy. The wetlands of Mithilanchal—long viewed as a flood-prone constraint—are in fact valuable ecological assets capable of sustaining high-value livelihoods. Reimagining them as engines of growth could reshape the state’s rural economy.

For the new government, the proposed Makhana Board is a chance to turn long-standing commitments to marginal farmers, and the ecological assets of Mithilanchal, into durable gains. If implemented well, makhana can become a symbol of Bihar’s economic transformation, women’s empowerment and India’s growing place in global food systems. The opportunity is clear; whether the state seizes it will shape both makhana’s future and Bihar’s.

Dash is an Assistant Professor at the IRMA School, Tribhuvan Sahkari University; Padhi and Choudhary are an Assistant Professor and a PhD student, respectively, at BITS Pilani (Pilani Campus)

Published on June 23, 2026