PURNEA, Jan. 23 -- The farming community of Bihar's Purnea went global on Wednesday as the district's Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Mithila Makhana was exported for the first time to Dubai via the sea route. Terming it a major milestone in agricultural exports, Bihar agriculture minister Ramkripal Yadav described the development as a historic moment for Bihar in general and the farming community of the Seemanchal region in particular, which has excelled in makhana (fox nut) production over the past few years. "The historic consignment of two metric tonnes of makhana was successfully dispatched from Purnea district to Dubai," the minister said, adding that the export would "open the floodgates of prosperity" for farmers across the state. He said the successful export through the sea route demonstrated Bihar's capability to meet international standards of quality, packaging, traceability and logistics. Calling it just the beginning, the minister said GI-tagged makhana would play a crucial role in strengthening farmers' incomes. "Our makhana has now gained global recognition, which will help it establish a strong presence in international markets," he said, expressing hope that Bihar, particularly Seemanchal, would emerge as a leader in the global farming community. The minister added that the export would create new market opportunities for farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and agri-entrepreneurs associated with the makhana value chain. He thanked farmers and officials, including principal secretary Narmeshwar Lal, special secretary Dr Birendra Prasad Yadav, APEDA chairman Abhishek Dev, special secretary-cum-director (Agriculture Marketing Directorate and BAVAS) Shailendra Kumar, horticulture director Abhishek Kumar and Purnea district magistrate Anshul Kumar, who were present on the occasion. Bhola Paswan Shastri Agricultural College (BPSAC), a constituent unit of Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour, has played a key role in transforming makhana production. The college was accorded the status of a 'Centre of Excellence' under the fourth Agriculture Roadmap (2023-28). The high-yielding variety Sabour Makhana-1 (National Identity No. 620551), developed by a team of scientists at BPSAC in 2016 and notified in 2019, has significantly enhanced production and quality, triggering a revolution in the sector. Dr Anil Kumar, principal investigator of the Makhana Research Project at BPSAC, Purnea, said years of research led to the development of the new variety. "Sabour Makhana-1 has not only increased productivity but also improved quality," he said, crediting BAU vice-chancellor Dr DR Singh for continuous support and guidance. He expressed hope that the area under makhana cultivation would expand manifold in the coming years. Makhana is cultivated over 40,400 hectares in Bihar, producing about 92,705 tonnes of seeds and 44,562 tonnes of processed makhana. The Seemanchal districts of Purnea, Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj, along with Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura and Khagaria, account for cultivation over 31,497 hectares, producing 74,901 tonnes of seeds and 37,450 tonnes of processed makhana. Meanwhile, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Madhubani cultivate makhana over 8,902 hectares, producing 17,805 tonnes of seeds and 7,122 tonnes of processed makhana. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26, announced the creation of a National Makhana Board (NMB) in Bihar to boost the fox nut industry through improved production, processing, value addition and marketing. In September last year, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally launched the NMB with a Rs.476-crore scheme aimed at supporting farmers and modernising the sector, particularly in Bihar, which produces nearly 90% of India's makhana. "With the export of Purnea's Mithila Makhana, there is no longer any confusion about the location of the NMB. We believe it will be established in Purnea, most likely at the BPSAC campus," social activist Amit Anand said. Echoing similar sentiments, another social activist, Vijay Kumar Shrivastava, said, "We are hopeful that the National Makhana Board will come up at BPSAC in Purnea."...