Export makhana (fox nut)

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.

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

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.

Benefits of exporting this product

• Mithila Makhana GI

  Mithila Makhana got its GI tag on 16 August 2022. APEDA’s study says the tag has helped exporters from the Mithila region reach the USA, UK and Australia.

  APEDA — Strategies to boost India’s makhana exports (study report) ↗
• RoDTEP: confirm the new lines

  Makhana’s own tariff lines (2008 19 21, 22, 29) came in with the Finance Act 2025, after the Appendix 4R edition we could read. Check the rate for your line in the current schedule on dgft.gov.in before you count it in your price.

  DGFT Notification 41/2026-27 (30 Sep 2026) — RoDTEP continued to 31 Dec 2026 at unchanged rates ↗
• APEDA support (Bharat Krishi Niryat Yojana)

  APEDA’s financial assistance scheme for 2026-27 to 2030-31 helps registered exporters, FPOs and processors with packhouses, cold chain and treatment plants, lab testing and quality systems, and market development (trade fairs, trial shipments, brand registration, retail listing fees). Read the component conditions before you spend.

  APEDA — Bharat Krishi Niryat Yojana 2026-27 to 2030-31, operational guidelines (6 Oct 2026) ↗

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.

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

• Commercial invoice
• Packing list
• Shipping bill
• Air waybill (AWB)
• Certificate of origin (CoO)
• Fumigation certificate

Schemes that apply

• RoDTEP Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products
• Drawback Duty Drawback (All Industry Rates)
• LUT Letter of Undertaking for zero-rated exports under GST
• ECGC ECGC export credit insurance for small exporters
• Districts as Export Hubs Districts as Export Hubs