- Why in news
- On 19 August 2026, PIB published a explainer on India's makhana sector. It covers the National Makhana Board, the ₹476.03 crore central scheme, production, exports and research.
- What it is
- Makhana (fox nut, Euryale ferox) is the popped seed of an aquatic plant grown in ponds and wetlands. India is the largest producer, with Bihar at the centre. The National Makhana Board and a Central Sector Scheme aim to build the value chain from seed to export.
- Central Sector Scheme outlay
- The scheme for development of makhana has an outlay of ₹476.03 crore for 2025-26 to 2030-31.
- Production and Bihar's share
- Bihar accounts for nearly three-fourths of India's makhana output, mainly in North Bihar and the Kosi basin districts.
- Separate HSN code
- DGFT introduced a separate HSN code for popped makhana in 2025, so product-specific export data now exists.
- Export concentration
- The US, Canada and the UAE take 77% of makhana exports, but pay lower unit prices than smaller markets like Germany.
- Improved varieties
- Swarna Vaidehi and Sabour Makhana-1 are improved varieties that have helped raise productivity.
Don’t confuse with Makhana vs water chestnut (singhara): Makhana is the seed of the fox nut plant (Euryale ferox). Water chestnut is a different aquatic plant. Both grow in water bodies.
Don’t confuse with Central Sector Scheme vs Centrally Sponsored Scheme: A Central Sector Scheme is fully funded and run by the Centre. A Centrally Sponsored Scheme shares costs with states.
Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.
Why it matters
- Raises farmer incomes and rural jobs in a lower-income region like North Bihar.
- Adds to agri-exports and value addition through processed snacks.
Problems
- Cultivation and seed collection are labour-intensive, underwater work with low mechanization.
- Exports are concentrated in a few markets, and production grew only 4-5% while prices rose sharply.
Way forward
- Promote mechanization, improved seeds and training through NRCM and extension services.
- Diversify exports to premium-paying markets and expand branding and quality control.
- 2020Mains GS3 · Q4Food processing challenges, opportunities; raising farmers' income via processing.
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q13Main bottlenecks in upstream and downstream agricultural marketing in India.
- 2015Mains GS3 · Q6Impediments in food processing marketing and supply chain; e-commerce's role.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting agri topic with a Board and a scheme outlay; crop-specific items are rare in UPSC news questions (schemes 16%), so no practice question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.