Ever wondered Why Foxnuts(Makhana) are so expensive In India? Discover the 7 surprising reasons behind the high price of foxnuts and how they’re grown from swampy ponds to your snack bowl.
Makhana, also known as foxnuts, has emerged as a health-conscious superfood but its price tag often surprises consumers. If you’ve ever wondered why this light, puffed snack costs as much as it does, the answer lies in a deeply labor-intensive, skilled, and traditional process that starts in the ponds of Bihar and ends in your snack bowl.
Let’s reveal Key reasons Why Foxnuts(makhana) Are So Expensive In India :
1. Labor Intensive Cultivation in Harsh Water Conditions
Foxnuts come from Euryale ferox, a thorny aquatic plant grown in stagnant water bodies like ponds and swamps. Farmers—often from traditional fishing communities—must wade through muddy, chest-deep water, braving sharp thorns, insects, and pond beds to collect the seeds by hand.Most harvesting is completely manual, with little to no machinery involved. Traditional tools like bamboo scoops and nets are still used, making the process slow and physically demanding.Shortage of Skilled Labor?The skill needed to harvest foxnuts is typically passed down through generations. But with younger generations exploring alternative livelihoods, there’s a growing shortage of experienced workers.
2. Complex and Skilled Processing Techniques
Multi-Step TransformationTurning raw seeds into the white, puffed Makhana we eat involves several meticulous steps:
Cleaning → Drying → Grading → Tempering → Roasting → Popping → Polishing. The Art of Roasting and Popping : This is the most critical and difficult step. Seeds are roasted in high-heat pans, then immediately struck with a wooden mallet while still hot. Only a skilled hand can ensure a good yield without burning the seeds. Even then, only 30–40% of seeds pop successfully, meaning large quantities of raw material produce a smaller edible yield.
3. Low Yield and High Wastage
Not every seed becomes a sellable product. Between imperfect popping, manual cracking losses, and sorting out unpopped kernels, a large portion of raw material never reaches the market, pushing prices higher for the portion that does.
4. Limited Growing Regions and Fragile Ecosystem
Geographical Concentration : Nearly 90% of the world’s foxnuts come from the Mithila region of Bihar, India. While other Indian states (like Assam and West Bengal) and countries (like China and Japan) grow Makhana, production is heavily localized.
This geographic limitation makes the supply vulnerable to floods, droughts, or climate disruptions in a single region.
Specific Climate Requirements: The Euryale ferox plant requires tropical-subtropical climates, stagnant water bodies, and high humidity, limiting where it can be successfully cultivated.
5. Rising Demand for a Healthy Superfood
With growing health awareness, more consumers are turning to low-fat, protein-rich, gluten-free snacks. Makhana fits that bill perfectly. Rich in magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants, it’s been marketed as a superfood, driving global demand.
6. Supply Chain Challenges and Costs
Storage and Transport Losses: Traditional storage methods and lack of cold chains can result in post-harvest losses. Plus, the delicate puffed seeds break easily, requiring special packaging and careful handling, which adds to the cost.
Fragmented Supply Chain : From farmer to processor to middleman to seller, each layer adds a margin, making the final retail price much higher than what the farmer earns.
How They’re Grown:
From Pond to Puff: A Glimpse Into the Makhana Journey
Let’s simplify the complex process for a better understanding:
- Cultivation
- Grown in ponds or wetlands using traditional methods
- Seeds are either broadcast or transplanted
- Harvest occurs once the fruit matures and sinks
- Harvesting
- Seeds are gathered by hand from the pond bottom
- Collected using nets or bamboo tools
- Cleaning & Drying
- Seeds are washed and dried in the sun
- Moisture is carefully reduced for optimal popping
- Tempering
- Pre-heated and rested for 2–3 days to loosen the kernel inside
- Roasting & Popping
- Roasted in iron pans, then struck with a mallet to pop
- Yield is low—only the perfectly processed seeds puff properly
- Polishing & Grading
- Puffed seeds are polished for texture
- Graded by size and quality before packaging
The effect of Euryale ferox (Makhana), an herb of aquatic origin
Amazing Fox Nut (Makhana) Farming – Fox Nut Harvesting & Processing. See below :
Conclusion :
Now that you know what it takes to make a single puffed Makhana, its price begins to make sense. From laborious harvesting in muddy waters to the precision-based popping process, every bite carries centuries of tradition, intense labor, and limited supply.
So next time you snack on a handful of foxnuts, know that you’re not just eating a healthy treat—you’re tasting a craft perfected over generations.