Why is Makhana, the ‘Black Diamond,’ and its geographical aspects important for the UPSC exam?

Knowledge Nugget: Makhana 

Subject: Geography and economy

(Relevance: The announcement regarding the Makhana board in the Union Budget 2025 has highlighted the significance of Makhana as an important crop. Furthermore, Makhana is a Geographical Indication (GI) tagged product. In the past, UPSC has asked questions about various GI-tagged products and the climatic conditions of different crops. Therefore, understanding these aspects of Makhana is essential.)

Why in the news?

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget on February 1, said that a “Makhana Board” will be set up in Bihar to boost the cultivation and marketing of fox nuts. The people engaged in Makhana cultivation will be organised in FPOs.

“A Makhana Board will be established in [Bihar] to improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana… The Board will provide hand holding and training support to makhana farmers, and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant Government schemes,” the Finance Minister said.

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Key Takeaways :

1. Makhana, commonly known in English as fox nut, is the dried edible seed of the prickly water lily or gorgon plant (Euryale ferox). This plant is found in freshwater ponds throughout South and East Asia. It is recognized for its violet and white flowers, as well as its large, round, and prickly leaves, which can often exceed a meter in diameter.

2.The edible part of the Makhana plant consists of small, round seeds that have an outer layer ranging from black to brown. This has led to it being referred to as the ‘Black Diamond.’

A makhana farmer after harvesting a bucket full of raw makhana seeds from a pond. These seeds take their unique white form after being ‘popped’. (National Research Centre for Makhana, Darbhanga)

3. After processing, these seeds are often consumed as popped snacks known as ‘lava.’ Makhana is highly nutritious and provides an excellent source of carbohydrates, protein, and minerals. Due to its versatile applications in medicine, healthcare, and nutrition, this plant can be consumed in various forms.

4. GI Tag to Mithila Makhana: In 2022, ‘Mithila Makhana’ was conferred a Geographical Indication tag. Notably, A Geographical Indication (GI) is a tag used on products that originate from a specific geographical area and have qualities or a reputation that are characteristic of that region. GI tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.

5. Bihar accounts for approximately 90% of India’s makhana production. This production is primarily concentrated in nine districts located in northern and eastern Bihar: Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnea, Katihar, Saharsa, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, and Sitamarhi, which are part of the Mithilanchal region.  Among these districts, the first four contribute to 80% of Bihar’s total makhana output.

“Makhana crop is grown in almost 15,000 hectares in Bihar which produces nearly 10,000 tonnes of popped makhana,” a 2020 paper by Indian Council of Agricultural Research said.

6. In addition to Bihar, makhana is cultivated in smaller quantities in the states of Assam, Manipur, West Bengal, Tripura, and Odisha, as well as in neighboring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Japan, and Korea.

Climatic Conditions for Makhana Cultivation

1. Makhana (Gorgon Nut or Foxnut) is an aquatic crop and is mainly grown in tropical and subtropical regions.  It is traditionally cultivated in stagnant water bodies such as ponds, land depressions, lakes, ditches, or wetlands with shallow water depths of up to 4-6 feet.

2. For optimal growth and development, Makhana requires a temperature range of 20-35°C, relative humidity of 50-90%, and annual rainfall between 100-250 cm.

Significance of creation of ‘Makhana Board’

1. The recent budget announcement regarding the establishment of a “Makhana Board” in Bihar is highly significant for those involved in Makhana cultivation. The Bihar government has been demanding measures from the Central government to promote Makhana cultivation. The state government had also demanded a declaration of the minimum support price of Makhana.

2. Despite being the largest producer of Makhana, Bihar has had difficulty tapping into the expanding market for this product. Although the state accounts for 90% of the country’s makhana production, the largest exporters of makhana in India are actually Punjab and Assam, with Punjab not even producing the crop itself.

3. This situation arises from Bihar’s lack of a developed food processing industry and inadequate export infrastructure. Notably, none of Bihar’s airports have cargo facilities, which further limits export capabilities. Additionally, low productivity in makhana cultivation is a significant issue. Currently, the cultivation process is extremely labor-intensive and challenging, driving up overall input costs.

4. Additionally, Farmers have been slow to adopt high-yield varieties of fox nut seeds developed by agricultural institutes, such as Swarna Vaidehi and Sabour Makhana-1.

5. The Makahana Board, which has a budget of Rs 100 crore, is expected to provide training to farmers, making them export-oriented, help create an ecosystem that brings investments in the food processing sector, and help create required export infrastructure.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: One District One Product scheme & ‘One Station One Product’ scheme

1. The One District One Product (ODOP) scheme aims to promote balanced regional development across all districts in the country. This initiative seeks to identify, brand, and promote at least one product from each district, fostering holistic socioeconomic growth across all regions.

2. States and Union Territories (UTs) select the products based on the existing ecosystem in their areas, as well as products identified under the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) and Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged products. The final list of products is communicated to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) by the relevant departments of the states and UTs.

‘One Station One Product’ scheme

1. The One Station One Product scheme aims at providing opportunities to local artisans, potters, weavers/ handloom weavers, craftsmen, etc. to make a living through their skills and provide them with sale outlets at railway stations across the country.

2. It also focuses on promote local handicrafts, handlooms, and processed food items which are unique to the area around the railway stations.

(Sources: Understanding Budget’s Makhananomics, One Station One Product)

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