Makhana has been part of Indian food culture for generations. In many homes, it is roasted with a little ghee and salt, added to kheer, used during fasting, or simply eaten as a light snack.
But in recent years, this humble food has started getting attention far beyond the places where it has traditionally been grown and eaten.
One of the latest examples is Mithila Makhana from Bihar, which has now reached Australia through a sea shipment. An 18-metric-tonne consignment of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana sourced from farmers in Darbhanga was sent to Australia, giving the traditional Bihar product another opportunity to enter an international market.
For farmers and people involved in the makhana trade, the development is interesting for another reason too. The export-linked arrangement reportedly helped growers receive nearly 18% higher returns than prevailing market prices.
So, what makes Mithila Makhana different, why is Bihar so important to India’s makhana production, and how did a traditional food from ponds and wetlands become an export product?
Let’s take a closer look.
What is Mithila Makhana?
Mithila Makhana is the fox nut associated with the Mithila region of Bihar. Makhana comes from the aquatic plant Euryale ferox and is traditionally cultivated in ponds and water bodies.
The crop has been grown in Bihar for a very long time, particularly across areas of the Mithila region.
For local families, makhana is not a new health-food trend. It has always had a place in the kitchen.
The difference today is that the product is increasingly being sold, packaged and marketed beyond its traditional markets.
Mithila Makhana received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2022. The GI registration connects the product with its geographical origin and gives it a distinct identity in the marketplace.
This matters when a regional food starts entering international markets. Instead of being sold simply as another type of fox nut, Mithila Makhana can be promoted as a product with a specific regional identity.
Why is Bihar so important for makhana?
When people talk about India’s makhana industry, Bihar is difficult to ignore.
The state accounts for around 85% of India’s makhana production, according to government information. Several districts have a long history of growing and processing the crop.
Darbhanga, Purnia, Madhubani, Katihar, Saharsa and other parts of northern Bihar are associated with makhana cultivation and trade.
Growing makhana is also quite different from growing ordinary field crops.
The plants grow in water, and harvesting involves considerable manual work. Processing the harvested seeds into the white, puffed makhana that consumers recognise also requires skill and experience.
That traditional knowledge is one of the less visible parts of the makhana industry.
When you see a packet of roasted makhana in a supermarket, it is easy to forget how much work happens before those pieces reach the packet.
How did Mithila Makhana reach Australia?
The recent Australian shipment involved 18 metric tonnes of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana.
The product was sourced from farmers in Darbhanga and packed at the BIADA Industrial Area in Bihta, Bihar, before being shipped to Australia.
The export was facilitated with support from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, commonly known as APEDA.
According to information released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the arrangement enabled farmers to receive nearly 18% higher returns compared with prevailing market rates.
That part of the story is particularly important.
International exports often sound impressive because of the destination involved. But for an agricultural product, the real value lies in whether the people growing it can benefit from the wider market.
If better-organised export channels allow farmers to receive better prices, overseas demand can become useful at the farm level rather than remaining an opportunity only for traders and exporters.
Is the Australia shipment the first international sea shipment?
There is a small but important detail here.
The Australia consignment is the first sea shipment of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana to Australia. It should not be confused with the first-ever overseas sea shipment of Mithila Makhana.
Earlier in January 2026, a 2-metric-tonne consignment of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana was shipped from Purnia to Dubai by sea.
The two shipments show how the export story is gradually expanding.
Dubai provided an early sea-route example, while the larger Australia shipment demonstrates that exporters are exploring markets farther away from India.
For a traditional agricultural product, establishing these routes can take time. Exporters have to deal with packaging, quality requirements, documentation, transportation, and international buyers before a shipment can reach its destination.
Why is makhana becoming popular outside India?
Makhana has several qualities that make it interesting for today’s snack market.
It can be roasted and seasoned in different ways. It is light, easy to store when properly packaged, and can be used in both traditional and modern recipes.
Walk through an Indian supermarket today, and you will find makhana in flavours that go well beyond the traditional version.
There are roasted masala varieties, cheese flavours, peri-peri versions and other packaged options aimed at consumers looking for alternatives to fried snacks.
This change has helped turn makhana from a mostly traditional ingredient into a modern packaged food.
International consumers are also becoming more familiar with Indian ingredients. As Indian food becomes more widely available around the world, products such as makhana get an opportunity to find new customers.
The export market is therefore not based only on the Indian diaspora. The product can also be introduced to consumers as a snack who may have never eaten it before.
Makhana exports are growing
The Australia shipment is part of a larger export trend rather than an isolated event.
Government data shows that India exported more than 7,000 metric tonnes of makhana and value-added makhana products during FY 2025-26 to more than 20 international destinations.
The export markets include countries in the United States, the Middle East, and Africa, among others.
This is significant because it shows that demand for makhana is no longer restricted to India’s domestic market.
However, export growth should not be measured only by the quantity shipped.
The quality of the product, consistency of supply, processing facilities, packaging and the price received by farmers will all influence whether this growth can continue.
A foreign buyer may be interested in trying makhana once, but building a sustainable export market requires the ability to supply the same quality consistently.
What does the GI tag mean?
The term “GI tag” often appears in stories about Indian agricultural products, but many consumers may not know exactly what it means.
A Geographical Indication identifies a product whose qualities, reputation or characteristics are connected to a particular geographical area.
India has GI registrations for many traditional products, including foods, handicrafts and agricultural products.
For Mithila Makhana, the GI tag helps establish its connection with the Mithila region.
That can be useful when the product enters competitive markets. Consumers and buyers are not simply purchasing a generic fox nut; the product can be presented with its regional identity and history.
For exporters, this identity can also become part of the product’s branding.
What about the farmers who grow it?
This is perhaps the most important part of the entire story.
Makhana cultivation supports many farming families in Bihar, but the people involved in harvesting and processing are also an important part of the industry.
The traditional processing of makhana requires considerable skill. The seeds have to go through several stages before they become the familiar white puffed product.
The government has also highlighted the role of the Phori community, whose traditional skills are closely associated with makhana processing.
As the industry becomes more commercial, there is a need to make sure that traditional workers are not left behind.
Better technology and organised processing can certainly make the industry more efficient. At the same time, the knowledge of people who have worked with makhana for generations remains valuable.
A successful makhana industry will ideally combine both.
Why the Makhana Board matters
The growing interest in makhana has also led to greater government attention.
The Union Budget 2025-26 announced the creation of a Makhana Board in Bihar.
The idea is to bring greater organisation to the sector and improve areas such as production, processing, marketing and farmer support.
The government has also approved a Central Sector Scheme for the development of makhana, with a financial outlay of ₹476.03 crore for the period from 2025-26 to 2030-31.
The programme includes areas such as better planting material, research, farmer training, harvesting, post-harvest management, value addition, branding and export promotion.
For farmers, these may sound like technical terms, but they can have a direct effect on the final product.
Better cultivation practices can improve productivity. Better post-harvest handling can reduce losses. Better processing can increase value. And stronger branding can help a regional product compete in larger markets.
A separate HS code could help too
Another change that may not attract much attention outside the export industry is the introduction of a separate Harmonised System (HS) code for makhana in July 2025.
HS codes are used internationally to classify products in trade.
Having a dedicated classification makes it easier to identify makhana separately in import and export records.
It may sound like a small administrative change, but accurate trade classification becomes increasingly useful when an agricultural product is growing internationally.
Better data can help governments and businesses understand where the product is going, how much is being exported and how the market is changing.
Can Australia become a bigger market for Mithila Makhana?
It is too early to say how large the Australian market for Mithila Makhana will eventually become.
The first shipment is an encouraging beginning, but long-term demand will depend on several things.
Australian buyers will need consistent quality and reliable supplies. Exporters will have to maintain packaging and food-safety standards. Prices will also matter because consumers have plenty of snack choices.
There is another challenge too: introducing makhana to people who have never eaten it.
Indian consumers already know what makhana is. A new international customer may not.
That means packaging and marketing will have to explain the product in a simple way—what it is, how it is made, how it can be eaten and why someone should choose it.
The Australian market could therefore become useful not just for selling more makhana but also for introducing the product to a wider audience.
From a local food to a global product
The story of Mithila Makhana is interesting because it is not really about a new product.
It is about an old product finding new customers.
For generations, makhana has been connected to the ponds, farms, kitchens and food traditions of Bihar. Its recent popularity comes from combining that traditional identity with modern packaging, branding and changing consumer preferences.
The GI tag gives the product a stronger regional identity. Export infrastructure provides access to overseas markets. Government programmes are trying to strengthen the sector. And growing interest in packaged snacks is creating new opportunities.
The Australia shipment brings all these developments together in one example.
An 18-tonne consignment travelling from Bihar to Australia may seem like a simple export transaction. But behind it are farmers, processors, traders, exporters, logistics companies and a traditional food that has travelled much farther than it once did.
What the future could look like for Bihar’s makhana
The biggest opportunity may not be simply exporting more raw makhana.
Value-added products could eventually become an important part of the industry.
Instead of exporting only raw or basic processed makhana, companies can develop roasted snacks, flavoured products, ready-to-eat packs and other food products for international consumers.
That could create more opportunities for processing and packaging within India.
For Bihar, this could mean a larger ecosystem around the crop rather than income coming only from cultivation.
But growth also needs to be handled carefully.
Farmers need fair prices. Quality needs to remain consistent. Traditional workers need opportunities. Water resources and cultivation practices need attention. And the reputation of Mithila Makhana has to be protected as the market grows.
If these pieces come together, the product could have a strong future.
Why Mithila Makhana’s journey matters
Mithila Makhana’s journey from Bihar’s water bodies to international markets is a reminder that global food trends do not always begin with a new invention.
Sometimes, they begin with something people have been eating for generations.
The Australian sea shipment is one step in that journey. Earlier exports, the GI tag, growing domestic demand, government support and new processing opportunities are all part of the same larger story.
For consumers, makhana may simply be a crunchy snack.
For Bihar’s farmers, however, it can represent a much bigger opportunity—one where a traditional crop gains recognition, reaches new markets and potentially brings better returns to the people who have grown and processed it for generations.
