₹475 Crore Investment to Boost Bihar’s Makhana Value Chain: Union Agriculture Minister at Makhana Mahotsav 2025 in Patna

06 October 2025, Patna: Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, visited Patna during his one-day tour of Bihar to attend the ‘Makhana Mahotsav 2025’ held at Gyan Bhavan, Gandhi Maidan. During the event, he released the report titled “Makhana: From Culture to Prosperity” (Makhana: Sanskriti se Samridhhi), highlighting the crop’s growing economic significance and cultural roots.

In his address, Chouhan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently extended a historic financial package worth ₹64,000 crore to empower India’s youth, with Bihar being one of the key beneficiaries. “Bihar is witnessing showers of prosperity and development — the sun of a developed India is shining brightly on the state’s destiny,” he remarked.

The Minister also spoke about the recent hike in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced by the Central Government and reaffirmed that the Centre would procure all produce of lentils (masoor), urad, and arhar grown by Bihar’s farmers at MSP rates, ensuring better income security for cultivators.

Calling makhana an “extraordinary blessing” for small and marginal farmers, Chouhan highlighted Bihar’s transformation into a global leader in makhana production. The area under makhana cultivation, he said, has expanded from just 3,000 hectares to nearly 40,000 hectares, creating new employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

To further strengthen the sector, the Central Government has notified the establishment of a Makhana Board, which will focus on research, development, marketing, branding, and promotion. Chouhan announced that ₹475 crore has been sanctioned for the development of modern processing units, new variety research, and value addition facilities, marking a major investment milestone for Bihar’s agri-economy.

Encouraging youth participation, the Minister urged Bihar’s young entrepreneurs to launch startups in the makhana sector, assuring full Central support. “Our goal is to take makhana from India to dining tables across the world, ensuring a steady rise in farmers’ incomes,” Chouhan said, emphasizing the sector’s strong investment potential and export prospects.

Also Read: Maize Prices in India Fall Nearly 10% in September 2025 Amid Surplus Supplies

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