Makhana :
– Makhana is considered as an aquatic cash crop in India
– It is cultivated between March and September, and September and March.
Where it is cultivated:
– At 80%, Bihar accounts for the highest production of makhana seeds in the country.
– In Bihar, the share of Madhubani district alone is 20% of the total state production, followed by 18% in Katihar.
‘Makhana Man’ of India :
– From the wetlands of Bihar’s Darbhanga to the banks of Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery in Thanjavur, Sravan Kumar Roy embarked on a journey to study food technology.
– At the National Institute of Food Technology, Sravan earned the nickname ‘Makhana Man’ for introducing his peers to this ‘wonder food.
What is special about Makhana :
– Makhana, sold in the international wholesale market at about ₹8,000 per kg, up from ₹1,000 about 10 years ago, is in high demand as a source of vegetarian protein in a world burdened by ‘meat guilt’ from animal cruelty and methane-related temperature rises.
– Now The Bihar government has urged the Centre to declare the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for makhana.