The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the first-ever commercial sea shipment of 18 metric tonnes of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana from Bihar to Australia, in a move expected to expand the global market for the state’s flagship agricultural product and improve returns for farmers.
The consignment, sourced from Makhana growers in Darbhanga district, was shipped from the BIADA Industrial Area in Bihta. The consignment was flagged off by Bihar Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha in the presence of the state’s Director of Horticulture, APEDA officials, representatives of the exporter and logistics partners, and Makhana growers.
According to APEDA, the export-oriented supply chain enabled farmers to realise nearly 18 per cent higher returns than prevailing market rates, highlighting the potential of direct international market linkages to improve farmer incomes.
The consignment was exported by NIAD Green, with logistics support from Jitban Supply Chain Pvt Ltd, a startup supported under APEDA’s BHARATI (Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement, and Incubation for Export Innovation) initiative.
The shipment comprised premium-quality raw GI-tagged Mithila Makhana sourced directly from farmers in Darbhanga and packed at the BIADA Industrial Area in Bihta.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Sinha said Makhana was an important part of Bihar’s identity and that greater participation of state-based exporters in international trade could help farmers secure better prices.
He stressed the need to maintain quality standards to meet international market requirements and said the Bihar government was working to strengthen the Makhana value chain by supporting growers, processors and exporters.
Sinha also said continued support would be provided to the Phori community, whose traditional skills play an important role in Makhana processing.
He described the first sea shipment of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana to Australia as a reflection of growing international demand for Bihar’s agricultural products and an opportunity to expand markets for farmers and exporters.
APEDA, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, facilitated the shipment in association with the Department of Agriculture, Government of Bihar. The authority has been promoting Makhana exports through capacity building, market development initiatives, export facilitation and stakeholder engagement.
APEDA also supported the exporter with market-access facilitation and coordination to enable the shipment to Australia.
Bihar accounts for nearly 85 per cent of India’s Makhana production. A separate Harmonised System (HS) code for Makhana came into effect in July 2025 under the Finance Bill, 2025, aimed at enabling more accurate tracking of the commodity’s international trade.
During 2025-26, India exported more than 7,000 metric tonnes of Makhana and value-added Makhana products to more than 20 international destinations, including the United States, the Middle East and Africa.
APEDA said it continues to work with state governments, exporters, startups, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and other stakeholders to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian agricultural products and create sustainable export-led opportunities for farmers.
