Makhana Sales Up In Bihar, But Life Yet To Improve For Farmers
Makhana or fox nuts -- the labour-intensive superfood for which Bihar is the world capital -- has firmly placed itself in the food map, especially with the Central boost in the Union budget.
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Despite hours of grueling labor, these workers earn merely Rs 250-300 per day.
Patna:
While Bihar's fox nuts (makhana) – a labor-intensive superfood for which the state is the global production hub – have gained prominence on the national food map, especially after receiving recognition in the Union budget, the farmers responsible for harvesting this crop continue to struggle financially.
Researchers at the Makhana Research Center indicate that meaningful improvement in farmers' livelihoods will only occur when traditional harvesting methods are replaced by scientific, mechanized approaches to cultivation and processing.
Following the acquisition of GI tag and GS code, makhana production has expanded significantly. Market demand has risen and traders are securing higher profits, yet minimal progress has been made in modernizing the production techniques.
NDTV visited Jagdishpur village, approximately 30 kilometers from Darbhanga district headquarters, where makhana processing is prevalent in most households. The entire family – men, women, and children – participates in processing activities, alongside migrant laborers who travel from distant locations.
Traditional methods still dominate the industry. Farmers wearing minimal clothing can be observed collecting seeds from pond bottoms using bamboo baskets and washing them in the water.
Other workers spend extensive hours roasting the seeds, transferring them between containers for seven to eight cycles, before cracking each nut with wooden implements to reveal the white, puffy interior.
This physically demanding work yields minimal compensation – as little as Rs 250-300 for many, with some earning around Rs 500.
Vinod Sahni, a day laborer involved in cracking makhana, told NDTV: "Despite the government's initiatives to promote makhana cultivation, laborers' lives remain unchanged." Sahni earns Rs 600 daily.
Experts from the National Makhana Research Institute in Darbhanga emphasize that only strong determination can bring about a revolutionary change in Bihar's Mithilanchal region's makhana industry.
The Union budget allocated Rs 100 crore for makhana cultivation and announced plans to establish a Makhana Board in Bihar to enhance production, processing, value addition, and marketing of this superfood.
Workers engaged in the makhana sector will be organized into Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and the board will provide training and support to cultivators, while ensuring they access benefits from relevant government programs.
During his visit to Bihar today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, "Our government has approved projects worth Rs 475 crore for the development of the makhana sector."
Criticizing opposition parties, he added, "Those people who are coming here these days talking about makhana, I can guarantee they didn't even know its name before."