In the 2025-26 Budget, the government declared the creation of the Makhana Board in Bihar, a major production area. This board will focus on enhancing the production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana. In a written response in the Lok Sabha today, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Chaudhary stated that the cultivation of Makhana has expanded from approximately 13,000 hectares to 35,000 hectares across several states.
According to the written reply, 15,824.1 kg of high-yielding makhana seeds have been distributed to farmers, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and various state organizations in the past few years. The main beneficiaries are NABARD, the Fisheries Department, the Bihar Horticulture Development Society, and farmers from areas including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
The National Makhana Research Centre (NRCM) in Darbhanga, Bihar, is a research and innovation hub, backed by a proficient team of scientists.
The significant accomplishments of this research encompass the development of high-yielding varieties of makhana and prickly singhara, the introduction of water-efficient and integrated agricultural systems, and the initiation of makhana and fish farming. Furthermore, methods for growing medicinal plants such as Indian lotus, Acorus calamus, and Alocasia montana have been developed.
Several machines have been created for popping makhana and producing value-added products, and these have been licensed to manufacturers for commercial use. From 2012 to 2023, NRSM trained over 3,000 farmers in advanced methods for growing, processing, and marketing makhana, emphasizing water-efficient practices, cropping systems, and nutrient management.
This involved utilizing devices such as Makhana Seed Washers, Makhana Seed Graders, Makhana Seed Primary Roasting Machines, and Makhana Seed Popping Machines.