Patna, Aug 8: Bihar has taken a step towards expanding its agricultural exports with the first sea shipment of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana to Australia, with an 18-metric-tonne consignment sourced directly from farmers in Darbhanga.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the shipment marked an important development in taking Bihar’s traditional agricultural products to international markets.The consignment, comprising seven containers, was flagged off from an integrated irradiation-cum-packhouse facility at Bihta in Patna.
The export was facilitated with support from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).According to officials, the makhana was procured directly from farmers in Darbhanga, enabling participating growers to receive nearly 18 per cent higher returns compared with the prevailing market price.
Mithila Makhana, a product associated with Bihar’s Mithila region, has a Geographical Indication (GI) tag that recognises its regional identity and distinctive characteristics. The GI recognition can help strengthen the product’s positioning in domestic and international markets.
The Bihar Agriculture Department said the shipment demonstrated the state’s efforts to move beyond agricultural production towards an integrated export-oriented system. It said modern facilities for irradiation, quality testing, packaging and logistics were helping prepare farm products in accordance with international requirements.
Officials said the infrastructure developed for the makhana export could also create opportunities for other agricultural commodities from Bihar to enter overseas markets.APEDA has been working with state governments, exporters, Farmer Producer Organisations, processors and other stakeholders to improve quality assurance, export procedures and international market access.
The broader initiative focuses on strengthening export infrastructure, improving quality compliance, developing market linkages and promoting value addition in agricultural products.The successful shipment to Australia is expected to provide greater international visibility to Mithila Makhana while creating additional market opportunities for farmers, processors and exporters in Bihar.
