• UGI USER
  • Jul 15, 2024
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MAKHANA CULTIVATION

Why in the news?

  • Bihar has urged the Centre to declare a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for makhana, an aquatic crop widely cultivated in the state.
  • The state flagged issues at the Darbhanga-based ICAR-NRC for Makhana, citing severe understaffing and the absence of a full-time director.

Makhana Cultivation in Bihar

  • Bihar produces 85% of the country’s makhana, involving around 10 lakh people, mostly from poor backgrounds.
  • The MSP demand is crucial for economic stability in 10 districts and is timely, given the upcoming state Assembly polls.
Source: Springer
About Makhana Cultivation

Key Characteristics

  • Foxnut, commonly known as Makhana, is a significant aquatic crop.
  • Grown in stagnant perennial water bodies such as ponds, land depressions, oxbow lakes, swamps, and ditches.
  • Suitable for tropical and subtropical climates and is native to South-East Asia and China but now cultivated worldwide.

Required Climatic Conditions

  • Temperature: 20°C to 35°C
  • Relative humidity: 50% to 90%
  • Annual rainfall: 100 cm to 250 cm
  • Soil: Smooth loamy soil

Distribution and Production in India

  • Primarily distributed in Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
  • Bihar leads in production and processing, accounting for over 80% of India’s total Makhana production.
  • Makhana is part of the Union government’s One District One Product scheme, offering subsidies for branding, marketing, and infrastructure development for food processors.

Associated Article:

https://universalinstitutions.com/msp-for-jute/