The National Makhana Board convened its first official meeting at Krishi Bhawan, formally kick-starting the implementation of a Rs 476.03 crore Central Sector Scheme aimed at the holistic development and modernisation of India’s makhana (fox nut) sector.

Chaired by Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the meeting approved a comprehensive roadmap spanning research, quality seed production, capacity building, value addition, branding, and export promotion, positioning makhana as a high-value agri-commodity with global potential.

The Board reviewed Annual Action Plans submitted by states and research institutions and cleared budgetary allocations across key intervention areas. A central focus of the deliberations was the consolidation of seed requirements across states, with supplies to be coordinated through Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, and Central Agricultural University, Samastipur, ensuring timely availability of quality planting material for both the current and upcoming seasons.

To strengthen technical capacity across the value chain, State Agricultural Universities, Central Agricultural University (Bihar), and NRC Makhana, Darbhanga, will lead training-of-trainers programmes for officials and field practitioners from multiple states. The objective is to accelerate the adoption of modern cultivation, harvesting, and post-harvest technologies in both traditional makhana-growing belts and emerging non-traditional regions.

The Board underscored the need for targeted, need-based research, alongside investments in grading, drying, popping, and packaging infrastructure, to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance market readiness. Emphasis was also placed on value addition, branding, quality control, market linkages, and export preparedness, with a view to raising farmer incomes and building a nationally coordinated makhana ecosystem.

This inaugural meeting establishes the foundation for a scientific, coordinated, and market-oriented expansion of the makhana sector, aligning farmer livelihoods with nutrition, premiumisation, and export-led growth.

Background

The National Makhana Board was established following its announcement in the Union Budget 2025–26 and was formally launched by the Prime Minister in Bihar on 15 September 2025. The accompanying Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana, with a financial outlay of Rs 476.03 crore for 2025–26 to 2030–31, aims to transform the sector through research and innovation, quality seed systems, farmer capacity building, improved harvesting and post-harvest practices, value addition, branding and marketing, export promotion, and quality assurance.