Purnia/Katihar: Once a humble crop grown in water-logged ponds, makhana (fox nuts) is steadily transforming the livelihoods of farmers and workers in Bihar’s Kosi-Seemanchal belt. Rising demand and higher prices have turned this traditional crop into a lucrative alternative to maize and paddy for farmers across Purnia and Katihar districts.

Inside a makeshift tin shed in Harda village, 28-year-old Rohit Sahani oversees his family’s entire makhana operation. From segregating seeds to puffing them on wooden stoves and hammers, his parents and brothers handle every step before selling the kernels to wholesale dealers. Sahani, from a backward boatmen community, sources makhana seeds from local farmers, capitalizing on booming market demand.

“The business has grown tremendously. Prices have tripled over the past six years,” Sahani said, while his family worked tirelessly in the shed.

The state government’s Makhana Vikas Yojana, administered through Bhola Paswan Shastri Agriculture College in Purnia, reports that the area under makhana cultivation has expanded from 3,000 hectares a decade ago to 40,000 hectares in 2024-25. The government aims to further increase cultivation to 1.92 lakh hectares, though no timeline has been specified.

Although still a niche crop compared to paddy, wheat, and maize—grown on around 80% of Bihar’s farmland—makhana provides substantially higher daily earnings for workers. A makhana laborer can earn ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per day, compared with ₹300–500 for typical farm work in Bihar, and up to ₹800 during paddy harvest in Punjab. “I collect 25–30 kg of seeds a day and earn accordingly,” said Ramji Sahani, a farm worker.

The crop’s profitability has encouraged farmers in water-logged areas to shift from maize to makhana. In Katihar and Purnia districts, about 90% of farmers now grow makhana alongside paddy. The crop is planted between February and March, harvested from late June to September, and is resilient to adverse weather.

For many like Rohit Sahani and Mohammed Gulfraz, a former corporate employee who turned to makhana trading in 2018, the boom has allowed investment in education, healthcare, and better housing. Sahani recently built a concrete home in Darbhanga, while Gulfraz exports flavored makhana to the Middle East and Western countries.

Despite its rising significance, the crop remains geographically limited to the red sandy, water-logged regions of the Kosi belt, which produce roughly 85% of Bihar’s makhana, and account for about 80% of India’s total production.

Experts note that while makhana is growing rapidly, challenges remain in marketing and supply chains. Unlike paddy and wheat markets in Punjab and Haryana, Bihar lacks structured trade systems, often leaving farmers to sell at makeshift markets near tehsil offices.

Still, for the thousands of families involved in its cultivation and processing, makhana has brought unprecedented economic upliftment, transforming both their livelihoods and the rural economy of Bihar’s northeast.

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