India exported 7,264.89 tonnes of makhana products in FY 2025-26, with the United States, Canada and the UAE taking about 77%.
BIHAR: One tonne of makhana sourced from Purnea was shipped via Mundra to Piraeus Port in Greece. The consignment was small, yet it captures a larger shift. Notably, Bihar supplies between 85% and 90% of India’s makhana and India accounts for over 90% of world supply. Consequently, a crop once traded informally across Bihar’s wetlands now reaches shelves on several continents.
A trade that finally has a name
India exported 7,264.89 tonnes of makhana products in FY 2025-26. Earlier official estimates were about 200 tonnes a year, though broad customs codes made the trade hard to track. Notably, dedicated HS codes introduced in 2025 now give it clear visibility. Collectively, the United States, Canada and the United Arab Emirates take about 77% of shipments. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, Australia, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Japan add secondary markets. Additionally, tariffs help in places. Makhana enters the UAE and Australia duty-free under trade agreements and the United States charges 1.10% on plain pops. Furthermore, in Europe and the United Kingdom, makhana is moving beyond ethnic grocery stores into mainstream health food chains. Moreover, demand rests on plant-based, gluten-free snacking, with makhana offering high protein and a low glycemic index.
Wetlands that became a field crop
Bihar’s base is broad. Cultivation across Mithilanchal, Seemanchal and the Kosi belt covers 35,224 hectares. Area grew about 171% between FY 2012-13 and FY 2021-22, from roughly 13,000 hectares. Similarly, popped output rose 152% over the same period to 23,656 tonnes. Meanwhile, national output reached 63,910 tonnes in FY 2024-25, with second advance estimates for FY 2025-26 at 80,590 tonnes. Notably, field cultivation in shallow lowland paddies now accounts for roughly 35% of production. Fields yield 2.6 to 3.0 tonnes of seed a hectare against 1.8 to 2.0 in ponds. They also allow rotations such as makhana, rice and wheat. Encouragingly, the Sabour Makhana-1 variety gives 32 to 35 quintals a hectare with pop recovery of 55% to 60%. Katihar and Purnea lead output, while Darbhanga hosts the ICAR research centre for makhana.
What a kilogram earns
Prices tell the story of rising value. Popped makhana averaged about ₹500 a kg between 2020 and 2022 and reached nearly ₹1,250 a kg in 2025. Raw seed sells at the farm gate for about ₹150 a kg. Meanwhile, export grade 6 Suta pops fetch ₹1,000 to ₹1,521 a kg at wholesale. Grading by size, in Suta units, separates the price tiers. Notably, popped makhana yields only 35% to 60% of raw seed weight, which is why processing capacity matters. Farmers capture between 27.6% and 55% of the final consumer price, depending on supply chain length and access to direct processing. Furthermore, economic surveys show net profit of about ₹2.27 lakh a hectare in ponds and ₹2.87 lakh in fields.
The hands behind the harvest
The chain begins with people. Mallah community divers collect mature seeds from pond beds between July and September. Harvest labour makes up 40% to 60% of farm costs. Moreover, women form a majority of the workforce in sun-drying, sieving, sorting and packing. Meanwhile, field systems keep water at 0.5 to 1.0 metres, which lowers harvesting labour and occupational risk. They have also let small landowners from broader social backgrounds enter production. Collective action is growing too. The Mithilanchal Farmer Producer Organization, set up in April 2018, applied for the Mithila Makhana GI tag, registered in August 2022. The tag certifies origin across districts from Darbhanga to Begusarai.
Policy behind the pop
Public support is catching up with demand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Makhana Board at Purnea in September 2025 with an initial ₹100 crore. The board is tasked with seed distribution, processing technology, credit, branding and exports. Likewise, the Bihar Makhana Vikas Yojana offers a 75% subsidy on a ₹97,000 per hectare benchmark for field demonstrations. The state’s BAIPP 2020 adds capital subsidies of 15% for individuals and 25% for farmer producer companies on processing units. Additionally, makhana is the One District One Product for six districts under PMFME. APEDA supports exporters with phytosanitary compliance, buyer matching and trial shipments.
What to watch
Several gaps will decide how much of the value stays in Bihar. First, mechanical harvesters could reduce reliance on diving labour. Second, common facility centres with sorters and roasters could raise quality, since most primary processing still relies on manual roasting and mallets. Likewise, accredited testing labs would help meet aflatoxin limits abroad. Furthermore, makhana’s low bulk density raises freight costs, so consolidation centres matter. Finally, groundwater use in field systems and Kosi floods pose climate tests.
Encouragingly, the pieces for scale are in place: a protected brand, dedicated trade codes, higher-yielding varieties and a national board. If processing capacity and farm-gate share improve together, Bihar’s growers could travel as far as their crop already has.
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