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Processed food

Export makhana (fox nut)

Popped and flavoured makhana from Bihar for health-snack shelves in the USA, UK and Middle East. Small volumes, strong packaging needs.

Free to exportHS 2008.19
HS code
2008.19
Since the Finance Act 2025, makhana has its own lines: 2008 19 21 popped makhana, 2008 19 22 makhana flour and powder, 2008 19 29 other makhana products.
Export policy
Free to export
Free. Use the new 2008 19 2x lines on the shipping bill so your export is counted correctly.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 21.8 mn
to 53 countries

What is exported

Most of India’s makhana comes from the Mithila region of Bihar; Mithila Makhana got a GI tag on 16 August 2022. APEDA’s 2025 study says popped makhana is shipped directly to the USA, the UK and the Middle East, and that the GI tag helped exports to the USA, UK and Australia. Because dedicated HS codes are new, reliable export statistics are only now building up.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Sutta grades 4, 5, 6 and 7Popped makhana is graded by size: 4 sutta 12–15 mm, 5 sutta 15–18 mm, 6 sutta 18–21 mm, 7 sutta above 21 mm; bigger fetches more.
  • Plain popped makhana (2008 19 21)Bulk lots for re-packers and snack makers.
  • Roasted and flavoured makhanaRetail snack packs for health-food shelves.
  • Makhana flour and powder (2008 19 22)Ingredient for baby food and gluten-free products.

Where it is grown or made

  • Bihar — Darbhanga and MadhubaniTraditional pond cultivation; ICAR’s National Research Centre for Makhana is at Darbhanga.
  • Bihar — Purnia and KatiharHighest production (field cultivation), about 5.2 and 4.9 thousand tonnes of popped makhana in 2021-22.
  • Consolidation portsOften shipped with other farm goods from hubs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Chennai and Kolkata.

Season

Seeds are harvested from ponds and fields from about August; popping and grading follow through the autumn and winter.

Export packing

  • Bulk: sacks of about 8–10 kg, or jute and jumbo bags with food-grade inner packing.
  • Retail: airtight pouches (often 250 g), PET jars or tins — moisture is the main enemy.
  • Store dry and pest-free, with fumigation before stuffing; light cargo, so container cube fills before weight.

Who buys abroad

  • Health-snack brands and importers in the USA, UK and Middle East
  • Ethnic Indian grocers in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia
  • Re-packers in the EU who sell under their own label

The quality buyers ask for

Size grade
Popped makhana is graded by diameter; the trade uses “suta” sizes (larger suta numbers mean bigger, costlier pops)
Grade standard
AGMARK grade specification for makhana (DMI)
Moisture
Kept low so pops stay crisp; agree the limit with the buyer and use moisture-barrier packs
Defects
No unpopped or half-popped seeds, black husk pieces, stones or insect damage
Food safety
Microbial counts, aflatoxin and heavy metals within the destination’s limits; test each lot

Certificates

  • FSSAI licenceRequiredCentral licence from FSSAI for the premises where the food is packed or stored for export. Apply on FoSCoS.
  • APEDA RCMCRequiredRegistration with APEDA, issued as an RCMC on the DGFT portal. Since 15 Sep 2026, a consignment up to ₹3 lakh FOB can go without it.
  • Phytosanitary certificate (if asked)Often askedSome importing countries treat raw popped makhana as plant produce and ask for a phytosanitary certificate — check with the buyer.
  • HACCPOften askedA food-safety plan that identifies hazards at each processing step and controls them. Most importers ask for it from the processing unit.
  • BRCGS Food SafetyOften askedGFSI-recognised standard asked for by UK and many EU supermarkets for private-label packing.
  • Organic (NPOP / NOP / EU)Often askedNeeded only if you sell the product as organic: NPOP certification by an accredited body, plus the buyer market’s own organic rules.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Very light and bulky: a 40-ft high-cube holds only a few tonnes. Pack in large poly-lined bags or cartons; retail packs go in cartons.

How it travels

Sea freight from Kolkata or Nhava Sheva; air for samples and small retail orders.

Storage

Dry and sealed — makhana absorbs moisture and goes soft; keep away from pests.

Shelf life

Typically 6–12 months in moisture-barrier packs; less once opened.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • EU retail packs (Regulation 1169/2011): name of the food, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, best-before date, storage conditions, the EU importer’s name and address, and origin where required — in the language of the country of sale.
  • USA (21 CFR 101): product name, net quantity in both US and metric units, ingredients, allergens, name and place of business of the packer or distributor, Nutrition Facts unless exempt; and “Product of India” marking (19 CFR 134).
  • Gulf countries: Arabic text (Arabic plus English is normal), production and expiry dates, net weight, country of origin and the importer’s details. Confirm the current rules with your importer.
  • Use the GI name “Mithila Makhana” only for makhana from the registered area.
  • Lot or batch number on every pack and bag — FSSAI’s Labelling and Display Regulations, 2020 require it, and every importing country uses it to trace and recall.
Where to get it tested

Use a laboratory on APEDA’s list of recognised laboratories (apeda.gov.in → Quality → Recognised Organisations). For any other test, search the NABL directory (nabl-india.org) for a lab accredited for that test, or use an FSSAI-notified lab. Ask the buyer which lab reports they accept before you send samples.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • APEDARegistration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for APEDA-scheduled products. Apply on the DGFT portal after you have your IEC.dgft.gov.in ↗
  • FSSAIFood business licence. FSSAI rules put food exporters under the Central licence; apply on FoSCoS and keep it valid for the premises you pack from.foscos.fssai.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Moisture and air-tight packing — makhana absorbs moisture and loses crunch; APEDA’s study flags poor packaging as a cause of rejections.
  • Size grading, foreign matter, microbiology and, for flavoured makhana, the buyer country’s rules on additives and labelling.
  • Fumigation and pest-free storage; phytosanitary certificate if the buyer’s quarantine asks for it.
How to start small

Buy graded popped makhana from a Darbhanga, Madhubani or Purnea processor, pack it in nitrogen-flushed pouches with an English label, and send a few hundred kilos by air or courier to Indian grocery importers in the UK or USA. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Using loose plastic bags — the product goes soft and stale in transit.
  • Making health claims on the pack that the buyer country does not allow.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (3)
  1. APEDA — Strategies to boost India’s makhana exports (study report, 2025)
  2. APEDA — Processed Foods (exports by product group, 2025-26)
  3. DGFT Notification 36/2026-27 (15 Sep 2026) — no RCMC needed for consignments up to ₹3 lakh FOB

Trade data

Indian makhana (fox nut) exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 21.8 mn
Change from 2024-25
—
— → US$ 21.8 mn
Buyer countries
53
Average export price
US$ 3.00
per kg · 7,265 tonnes shipped
Sudan: US$ 4.3 mnKenya: US$ 2.6 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 2.3 mnUnited States of America: US$ 1.6 mnUzbekistan: US$ 1.5 mnTogo: US$ 1.4 mnCanada: US$ 990kTanzania: US$ 690kSri Lanka: US$ 570kAustralia: US$ 520kIsrael: US$ 440kUnited Kingdom: US$ 350kEgypt: US$ 290kNigeria: US$ 230kBangladesh: US$ 210kNepal: US$ 190kNetherlands: US$ 140kSaudi Arabia: US$ 130kSingapore: US$ 110kMozambique: US$ 100kSudan: US$ 4.3 mnSudanKenya: US$ 2.6 mnKenyaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 2.3 mnUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of America: US$ 1.6 mnUnited States of AmericaUzbekistan: US$ 1.5 mnUzbekistanTogo: US$ 1.4 mnTogoCanada: US$ 990kTanzania: US$ 690kSri Lanka: US$ 570kAustralia: US$ 520kIsrael: US$ 440kUnited Kingdom: US$ 350kEgypt: US$ 290kNigeria: US$ 230kBangladesh: US$ 210kNepal: US$ 190kNetherlands: US$ 140kSaudi Arabia: US$ 130kSingapore: US$ 110kMozambique: US$ 100kIndia
Where Indian makhana (fox nut) goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
n/a2020-21n/a2021-22n/a2022-23n/a2023-24n/a2024-252025-26: US$ 21.8 mn222025-26
India’s makhana (fox nut) exports, year by year · US$ million · year not shown

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1SudanUS$ 4.3 mn—
2KenyaUS$ 2.6 mn—
3United Arab EmiratesUS$ 2.3 mn—
4United States of AmericaUS$ 1.6 mn—
5UzbekistanUS$ 1.5 mn—
6TogoUS$ 1.4 mn—
7CanadaUS$ 990k—
8TanzaniaUS$ 690k—
9SomaliaUS$ 630k—
10AfghanistanUS$ 620k—
11Sri LankaUS$ 570k—
12AustraliaUS$ 520k—

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

No sizeable country falls in this list this year.

Low demand

No sizeable country falls in this list this year.

New buyers: Countries that bought nothing from India in 2024-25 and did in 2025-26.

  • Sudan · US$ 4.3 mn
  • Kenya · US$ 2.6 mn
  • United Arab Emirates · US$ 2.3 mn
  • United States of America · US$ 1.6 mn
  • Uzbekistan · US$ 1.5 mn
  • Togo · US$ 1.4 mn

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Others-of-other, includinguding mixtures:2008 19 29 · Nuts and other seeds, whether or not containing added sugar, other sweetening matter or spiritUS$ 17.7 mn—6,342 tonnesUS$ 2.79 per kg
Nuts and other seeds, whether or not containing added sugar, other sweetening matter or spirit — popped2008 19 21US$ 2.4 mn—197 tonnesUS$ 12.04 per kg
Nuts and other seeds, whether or not containing added sugar, other sweetening matter or spirit — flour and powder2008 19 22US$ 1.7 mn—726 tonnesUS$ 2.37 per kg

Makhana got its own tariff lines only in 2025, so only 2025-26 figures exist. TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export makhana (fox nut)

Makhana (fox nut, popped Euryale ferox seed) is almost entirely an Indian product, grown mainly in the ponds of north Bihar; “Mithila Makhana” is a GI. There is no major rival origin, so the challenge is building demand, not beating competitors. Health-snack brands in the USA, UK, the Gulf, Canada and Australia are driving interest as a light, gluten-free snack. The openings are roasted and flavoured makhana in retail packs, makhana flour, and graded raw makhana for snack makers abroad.

  1. 01Pick raw or value-added

    Decide whether you sell graded raw makhana to snack makers or finished flavoured packs to retailers — the buyers and paperwork differ.

  2. 02Source graded lots

    Buy from processors or FPOs in Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnia and nearby districts; insist on size-graded, clean lots.

  3. 03Clean, roast and pack

    Re-grade, remove defects, roast or flavour in an FSSAI-licensed unit, and pack in moisture-barrier material.

  4. 04Test and label

    Test microbes, aflatoxin and heavy metals; prepare labels to the importing country’s rules.

  5. 05Register with the buyer’s food authority

    For the USA, the facility needs FDA food-facility registration; Gulf countries may need product registration.

  6. 06Ship with the right HS line

    Use the new makhana lines (2008 19 2x) on the shipping bill so the export is recorded and benefits are claimed correctly.

  7. 07Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP and drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting makhana (fox nut)

Which export council covers makhana?
APEDA promotes makhana exports and has published a study on them. Take your RCMC from APEDA, and confirm with it which council covers your exact product form.
Why does makhana go soft in transit?
It absorbs moisture. Use moisture-barrier packs, seal well and avoid long storage in humid ports.
Which size sells best?
Large, uniform pops fetch the best price for retail snacks; smaller grades go into flour and processing.
Do I need FDA registration for the USA?
Yes, the facility that makes or packs food for the US must be registered with the FDA, and the importer must verify you as a supplier.
Can I market it as a superfood?
Avoid health claims unless the importing country allows them; the EU and USA regulate health claims strictly.
Sources (5)
  1. APEDA — Strategies to boost India’s makhana exports (study report, 2025)
  2. Directorate of Marketing & Inspection — AGMARK grade standards (commodity-wise rules)
  3. US eCFR — 21 CFR Part 101, food labelling
  4. EU — Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers
  5. APEDA — Recognised organisations (list of recognised laboratories, FSMS bodies)

Who buys Indian makhana (fox nut)

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