Bihar's Abandoned River Channels Could Be the Key to Expanding Makhana Cultivation
Naturally growing makhana spotted in stagnant water near Darbhanga's Kamla river has sparked fresh thinking about unlocking Bihar's estimated 35,000-hectare cultivation ceiling — and a ₹3,000 crore industry's next phase of growth.
Expert insights
Piyush Dokania · Director, Positive Commercial Pvt Ltd
Piyush Dokania is an entrepreneur and Director of Positive Commercial Pvt Ltd, Katihar, Bihar, leading the premium makhana brand White Pops through mechanized processing.
The short answer
Researchers have discovered makhana growing naturally in stagnant water at Gausa Ghat on the Kamla river in Darbhanga, Bihar, pointing to the potential of the state's abandoned river channels as new cultivation zones. Bihar's makhana cultivation has remained confined to roughly 35,000 hectares between 2022 and 2025, even as demand and exports continue to rise. If these dead river stretches are scientifically mapped and brought under cultivation, they could meaningfully expand acreage, raw material supply, and the global standing of Indian makhana.
The discovery
Wild Makhana Found in Kamla River's Still Waters
A site inspection at Gausa Ghat in Darbhanga — where construction is under way on a check dam across the Kamla river — has yielded an unexpected agricultural finding. Researchers observed makhana (fox nut) plants growing spontaneously in patches of stagnant river water, with no deliberate cultivation involved.
The find has drawn attention because it demonstrates that Bihar's slow-moving or stationary water bodies can naturally sustain the crop. Makhana is highly demanding in terms of growing conditions: it requires shallow, still, nutrient-rich water and specific climatic parameters. The fact that it has taken root without human intervention in a river environment suggests that the ecological conditions in such stretches are closer to ideal than previously assumed.
The acreage problem
Cultivation Area Has Stagnated Even as the Industry Scales Up
Bihar accounts for the overwhelming share of India's makhana output, and the industry has grown into a ₹3,000 crore sector. Yet the cultivated area has remained anchored at approximately 35,000 hectares and showed no meaningful expansion between 2022 and 2025 — a period during which both domestic demand and export volumes have continued to climb.
The bottleneck is structural. Makhana cannot simply be planted on any available land; it demands waterlogged, low-current conditions that are not found everywhere. This has made acreage expansion a persistent challenge for scientists, farmers, and processors working to position Indian makhana as a global superfood. The gap between rising demand and static supply is precisely what makes the Darbhanga observation so significant.
The opportunity
Abandoned Channels and Dead River Stretches as the Next Makhana Belt
Bihar's rivers have shifted course repeatedly over centuries, leaving behind a scattered network of abandoned channels, oxbow lakes, and dead river stretches — many of which remain waterlogged or hold stagnant water through much of the year outside the monsoon season. These areas have long been regarded as unproductive or wasted land by local communities and planners alike.
The Gausa Ghat sighting challenges that assumption directly. If naturally occurring makhana can thrive in such an environment, then a significant portion of these forgotten water bodies may be ecologically suited to cultivation. The logical next steps would involve:
- Scientific mapping of abandoned river channels across Bihar to identify viable stretches
- Field trials to assess water depth, nutrient levels, and suitability for organised cultivation
- Policy and extension support to bring willing farmers into these non-traditional zones
Successful expansion across even a fraction of these water bodies could materially increase both farmer incomes and the raw material available to Bihar's growing makhana processing industry.
The bigger picture
Makhana's Global Ambitions Depend on Getting Supply Right
India's makhana has been gaining traction internationally as a premium, plant-based snack — a trend that processors and exporters have been working to capitalise on. But global credibility at scale requires consistent, abundant supply of quality raw material, which in turn depends on cultivation expansion.
The insight from Darbhanga is a reminder that solutions to supply constraints do not always require new land or costly infrastructure — sometimes they require looking at existing, overlooked landscapes with a fresh scientific lens. Bihar's abandoned river geography, long considered a legacy of hydrological change, may turn out to be one of the sector's most valuable untapped resources. Realising that potential will require coordinated action from researchers, state agricultural agencies, and the farming communities living alongside these forgotten waterways.
Why it matters
With Bihar's makhana industry already valued at around ₹3,000 crore and export appetite growing, the sector's biggest constraint is not processing capacity or market access — it is the availability of suitable cultivation land. The Darbhanga discovery reframes hundreds of waterlogged, abandoned river channels across Bihar from unproductive land into potential agricultural assets. For farmers, agri-processors, and policymakers alike, the priority now should be a systematic scientific survey and pilot cultivation programme on these stretches — before the acreage gap between rising demand and stagnant supply widens further.
Frequently asked
- Where was makhana found growing naturally in Bihar?
- Researchers observed makhana growing spontaneously in stagnant water at Gausa Ghat on the Kamla river in Darbhanga, where a check dam is currently under construction.
- How large is Bihar's current makhana cultivation area?
- Makhana cultivation in Bihar has remained at around 35,000 hectares, with no significant expansion recorded between 2022 and 2025.
- What is the estimated value of Bihar's makhana industry?
- Bihar's makhana industry is estimated to be worth around ₹3,000 crore, with demand and exports continuing to grow.
- Why are Bihar's abandoned river channels relevant to makhana farming?
- Makhana requires shallow, still, and waterlogged conditions to grow. Bihar's abandoned river channels and dead river stretches remain waterlogged outside the monsoon season, and the natural makhana growth observed at Gausa Ghat suggests these areas may be ecologically suited to organised cultivation.
This is an original IndianAgri report. The analysis and India context are IndianAgri's own.