Why in news?
PM Modi officially launched National Makhana Board on September 14-15, 2025, in Purnea, Bihar as part of the Union Budget 2025-26 initiative.
 
Aims and objectives:

• Enhancing production standards and improving farming and post-harvest management techniques.
• Promoting value addition, innovative processing technologies, packaging, and branding.
• Expanding marketing networks and export linkages internationally.
• Providing financial assistance, training, and support to farmer-producer organizations to help them avail central government schemes.
• Developing infrastructure for advanced processing units, storage, and packaging facilities.
• Boosting the global reach of makhana as a superfood with nutritional and economic importance.

Economic Aspects

• Funding and Budget: The government allocated around Rs 100 crore for initial activities and a sizeable development package of nearly Rs 475 crore for the sector.
• Market Development: Supports branding, marketing, domestic and export market expansion, and integration of makhana farming with government schemes.
• Farmer Support: Focuses on organizing farmers into cooperatives and FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations).
• Rural Employment: Boosts rural livelihoods by creating jobs, particularly empowering women in processing and allied sectors, and reducing seasonal migration.
• Export Potential: Makhana is recognized as a superfood with global demand expected to grow significantly. The Board aims to enhance export quality, expand global market share, and overcome infrastructure and export challenges.

Challenges

• Low Productivity: Traditional cultivation methods yield less, and there's limited adoption of modern techniques and high-yield varieties like 'Swarna Vaidehi'.
• Labor-Intensive Farming: Makhana cultivation is highly dependent on manual labor, which is physically draining and inefficient, with harvesting being particularly difficult and hazardous.

• Dominance of Intermediaries: A fragmented supply chain allows middlemen to exploit farmers by buying raw makhana at low prices, which reduces farmer profits.
• Lack of Awareness: Many farmers are not aware of available government schemes, subsidies, and modern agricultural practices that could help them improve their yield and income.

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