Photograph — Makhana (fox nut), Nawada district, Bihar. Source image unavailable; caption preserved.
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Rice, Millets & Pulses · Bihar — Mithila region (Darbhanga, Madhubani)
Bihar Makhana (Fox Nut / Lotus Seed)
A popped, puffed aquatic seed harvested from Mithila's ponds and wetlands, roasted over a wood fire until it pops like popcorn, and used as a snack food and in festive and fasting-day cooking across India.
GI status: GI-registered ('Mithila Makhana'), 2022
Shelf life: 9–12 months roasted and sealed
Women-led sector
| Category | Rice, Millets & Pulses |
|---|---|
| Region | Bihar — Mithila region (Darbhanga, Madhubani) |
| GI status | GI-registered ('Mithila Makhana'), 2022 |
| Typical shelf life | 9–12 months roasted and sealed |
| Women's role in production | Seed collection from the ponds is traditionally men's work (the Mallah/Sahni fishing community wade into the water), but the roasting, popping and hand-grading that turns raw seed into the familiar white makhana puff — the highest-value step — is overwhelmingly done by women in processing households and SHG units. |
Why this fits a low-wastage SHG model: Roasted, sealed makhana is shelf-stable for the better part of a year — turning a wet, fast-spoiling pond seed into a durable packaged product is precisely the kind of processing step that protects an SHG's margin.
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