Status of makhana production and marketing in India: A Chronological Review

Makhana has tremendous opportunities in local as well as the global market due to increased
demand of nutrient-rich food across the globe. It is a major component of integrated farming
as it can be cultivated with rice, water chestnut as well as fisheries. It provides livelihood to
small and landless farmers of Bihar and Eastern India as the agro-climatic region of Bihar
and Eastern India is most suitable for its cultivation due to the fertile land of Indo-Gangetic
plains and abundance of pure water. This article provides a chronological study of 21
research articles published from the year 2010- 2021. The present article provides a theme
and pattern on which research was conducted and it can be classified into six categories that
is production of makhana, constraints related to production, marketing of makhana, socio-
economic conditions of growers, economics of production and value chain analysis of
makhana after harvesting. The finding indicates that the producers enjoy very less share in
consumer’s money. Also, there was very little technical and financial support to farmers
which led to low productivity. Value addition and branding can be useful tools for marketing
as well as the export of makhana to earn foreign revenue. Thus there is need to establish a
Farmer Producer Organization of makhana growers in our country.
 Makhana Cultivation is characterized by poor socio-economic conditions of growers.
 Major constraints faced by farmers are lack of land, credit facilities, technology,
transportation as well as price fluctuation in the market.
 Value addition can be a useful tool in enhancing profitability.