The Union Government has announced an increased allocation of Rs 0.99 crore for the development of makhana in Jammu and Kashmir for the fiscal year 2026-27. This marks a significant rise from the Rs 0.41 crore approved for the Union Territory in the preceding fiscal year, 2025-26.
The Chenab Times has learned that this allocation is part of the Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana, a national initiative aimed at boosting makhana production, processing, value addition, marketing, and exports across India. The scheme, which has a total outlay of Rs 476.03 crore, operates under the administrative control of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The National Makhana Board, established on September 14, 2025, in Bihar, oversees the implementation of this scheme. The board comprises representatives from various Union ministries, including agriculture, rural development, commerce and industry, food processing industries, and micro, small and medium enterprises, alongside makhana growers, processors, exporters, and representatives from agricultural institutions and NABARD.
The scheme’s objectives include enhancing production and productivity through area expansion and seed production, improving post-harvest management, facilitating processing and value addition, supporting research and development, promoting exports, developing markets and brands, and undertaking extension activities and capacity building for farmers.
Nationally, the scheme has led to an expansion of makhana cultivation by an additional 1,010 hectares and covered 73 hectares under a seed production programme. Eighty-nine Front Line Demonstrations have also been conducted to introduce and showcase improved production technologies to farmers.
India’s makhana production has seen a notable increase, rising from 63,910 metric tonnes in 2024-25 to an estimated 80,590 metric tonnes in 2025-26, according to the Second Advance Estimates. The average productivity per hectare also improved from 2.03 tonnes to 2.34 tonnes during the same period.
The government is actively involved in providing capacity-building support to farmers through seminars, exposure visits, and training programs organized by State Agricultural Universities, Central Agricultural Universities, and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes. The scheme also extends support to Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for activities across the makhana value chain.
State-wise allocations for the scheme indicate that Bihar has received the highest allocation of Rs 52.10 crore for 2026-27, followed by Uttar Pradesh with Rs 10.15 crore, Chhattisgarh with Rs 4.11 crore, Jharkhand with Rs 3.84 crore, Manipur with Rs 3.15 crore, Madhya Pradesh with Rs 2.19 crore, and Assam with Rs 2 crore. Jammu and Kashmir’s allocation of Rs 0.99 crore positions it among the states receiving support for makhana development.
During the 2025-26 fiscal year, 8,159 farmers across various states benefited from the scheme, with beneficiary data provided indicating significant participation in states like Uttar Pradesh (4,007 farmers), Bihar (1,276 farmers), Chhattisgarh (1,576 farmers), Manipur (714 farmers), and Madhya Pradesh (536 farmers).
The Chenab Times News Desk