SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has been allocated Rs 0.99 crore under the Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana for 2026-27, up from Rs 0.41 crore approved for the Union Territory in 2025-26, the Union Government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The Agriculture Ministry said the National Makhana Board was constituted in Bihar on September 14, 2025, with the objective of promoting makhana production, processing, value addition, marketing and exports across the country.
The Board functions under the administrative control of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana, also approved on September 14, 2025, has a total outlay of Rs 476.03 crore.
For JK, the allocation under the scheme has increased by Rs 0.58 crore for 2026-27. The Union Government has approved a total of Rs 30 crore for the scheme nationally for 2025-26 and Rs 90 crore for 2026-27.
The ministry said the scheme supports production and productivity enhancement, including area expansion and seed production, besides post-harvest management, processing and value addition, research and development, export promotion, market and brand development, extension activities and capacity building.
Across the country, an additional 1,010 hectares has been brought under makhana cultivation, while 73 hectares have been covered under a seed production programme. As many as 89 Front Line Demonstrations were also conducted to showcase improved production technologies.
India’s makhana production increased from 63,910 metric tonnes in 2024-25, with average productivity of 2.03 tonnes per hectare, to 80,590 metric tonnes in 2025-26, with average productivity rising to 2.34 tonnes per hectare, according to the Second Advance Estimates cited by the ministry.
The Government said farmers are being provided capacity-building support through seminars, exposure visits and training programmes organised by State Agricultural Universities, Central Agricultural Universities and Indian Council of Agricultural Research institutes.
The scheme also provides support to Farmer Producer Organisations for various activities linked to the makhana value chain.
According to the State-wise allocation, Bihar received the highest allocation at Rs 52.10 crore for 2026-27, followed by Uttar Pradesh at Rs 10.15 crore, Chhattisgarh at Rs 4.11 crore, Jharkhand at Rs 3.84 crore, Manipur at Rs 3.15 crore, Madhya Pradesh at Rs 2.19 crore and Assam at Rs 2 crore. Jammu and Kashmir’s allocation stood at Rs 0.99 crore.
The ministry said 8,159 farmers benefited under the scheme during 2025-26 in the states for which beneficiary data was provided in the reply. The figures included 1,276 farmers in Bihar, 714 in Manipur, 50 in Assam, 536 in Madhya Pradesh, 4,007 in Uttar Pradesh and 1,576 in Chhattisgarh.
The National Makhana Board comprises representatives from the Union ministries dealing with agriculture, rural development, commerce and industry, food processing industries and micro, small and medium enterprises, besides representatives of makhana growers, processors and exporters, agricultural institutions, ICAR and NABARD.
