Backgrounder: makhana, from wetland crop to superfood

India’s makhana sector: what happened?

Makhana grows in ponds and wetlands. Farmers collect the seeds by hand, often underwater. For centuries it was a local Bihar food. Today it sells as a health snack in cities and abroad. The government wants farmers, not just brands, to gain from this boom.

• India produced 63,910 MT in 2024-25 at 2.03 MT per hectare, and 80,590 MT in 2025-26 at 2.34 MT per hectare.
• Cultivation is concentrated in the Kosi basin districts of Supaul, Saharsa and Madhepura, and parts of Mithila and Seemanchal.
• Field-system farming and varieties like Swarna Vaidehi and Sabour Makhana-1 have raised yields.
• Under the scheme, 1,010 hectares of new area came under makhana and 8159 farmers benefited in 2025-26.

What does the market look like?

• About 40 percent of output is exported; the rest is eaten at home.
• Average prices rose from about ₹500 per kilogram in 2020-2022 to nearly ₹1,250 per kilogram in 2025.
• DGFT introduced a separate HSN code for popped makhana and makhana products in 2025, so export data is now tracked.
• The US (40%), Canada (20%) and the UAE (17%) take 77% of exports, but at lower unit prices than Germany or Australia.

Why is it called a superfood?

• It has carbohydrates, quality protein, fibre and minerals like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and iron.
• It is low in sodium, cholesterol-free and has a low glycaemic load.
• Fat is just 0.33 g per 100 g, and protein digestibility is about 95 percent.

How has production grown?

Where do exports go?

How does makhana go from pond to packet?

1. Pond preparation and seed broadcasting
2. Manual harvesting of seeds from water
3. Drying, cleaning and roasting at village level
4. Popping, polishing and grading by size
5. Flavouring, packing and branding for markets

Why does India’s makhana sector matter?

What are the challenges in India’s makhana sector?

• Harvesting is manual, hard and labour-intensive; mechanisation is limited.
• Production grew only 4 to 5 percent from FY 2022 to 2025 while prices more than doubled.
• Exports are concentrated in a few lower-priced markets.
• Most primary processing is still done with traditional tools.

What should be done next on India’s makhana sector?

• Mechanise harvesting and popping using NRCM machines.
• Diversify exports to premium markets like Germany and Australia.
• Expand seed production and field-system farming.
• Use the National Makhana Board to link FPOs with buyers.

What can Prelims ask on India’s makhana sector?

• Makhana: Euryale ferox, an aquatic crop of ponds and wetlands.
• National Makhana Board: Budget 2025-26; launched in Bihar, 15 September 2025.
• Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana: ₹476.03 crore, 2025-26 to 2030-31.
• Varieties: Swarna Vaidehi, Sabour Makhana-1.
• Bihar: Kosi basin (Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura).

How to write about India’s makhana sector in Mains

Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Makhana shows how a traditional crop can become a global product. What steps are needed to ensure farmers share in its gains?

• Intro: Euryale ferox; India largest producer; Bihar’s share.
• Growth: demand, prices, exports, HSN code.
• Problems: manual work, low mechanisation, export concentration.
• Support: Board, ₹476.03 crore scheme, NRCM.
• Way forward.