The Rise of Makhana Industry in India

The government of Bihar awarded a geographical indication tag to Makhana in 2022, leading to a significant increase in its prices. The GI tag attributed to Makhana has pushed its raw prices up by 10 times since 2012, with prices now reaching up to 800 rupees per kilo. The popularity of Makhana surged during the pandemic as a healthy snack, and it can fetch up to 13,000 rupees per kilo. The Makhana industry in India is booming and currently valued at 3,000 crore rupees, expected to double in the next 2-3 years. The market for flavored Makhana snacks alone is valued at 150 crore rupees and is growing at a rate of about 30% per year, with industry players referring to it as a superfood and introducing innovative flavored varieties and products like Makhana pasta to replace junk food.