Available Online at http://www.recentscientific.com International Journal of CODEN: IJRSFP (USA) Recent Scientific

International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research Vol. 11, Issue, 11 (C), pp. 40116-40121, November, 2020 ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR Research Article

MAKHANA CULTIVATION: A TROUBLESOME JOB FOR CULTIVATORS IN NORTH-EASTERN BIHAR

Meenu Sodi1 and *Sanjib Kumar2

1Department of Botany, B.S.S. College, Supaul – 852131, Bihar, India 2Department of Botany and Principal, B.S.S. College, Supaul – 852131, Bihar, India

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2020.1111.5632

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History: Makhana (Euryale ferox Salisb.) is an aquatic herb cultivated for its nutritional and edible seeds. The seeds are black and rounded and characterized by their hard seed coats (shells). It is cultivated Received 6th August, 2020 th naturally in stagnant perennial water bodies like ponds, oxbow lakes and swamps. Recently it is also Received in revised form 15 being cultivated in field conditions. Cultivation of makhana is a highly tedious, cumbersome, labour September,, 2020 intensive process and involves human drudgery. This plant is especially cultivated in north Bihar, Accepted 12th October, 2020 th West Bengal, Manipur and M.P. for its seeds. Bihar is the leading producer of makhana (90%) in Published online 28 November, 2020 India and also in the world of which 80% is produced in north-eastern Bihar. A survey was conducted during 2017-19 in makhana growing areas of makhana cultivars of Katihar, Purnea and Key Words: Supaul districts of north-eastern Bihar. It was found that the farmers, processors and market

Makhana cultivation, seeds processing, intermediaries face a lot of troubles while dealing with makhana cultivation at their level of tedious work, overcome difficulties, boost operation. They face ownership problems, labour intensive problems, lack of credit facility, lack of economy. scientific knowledge, lack of skilled labours, poor economic condition, disease and pest problems, weed problem, disaster due to flood, long crop duration, lack of processing facilities, inadequate transportation, less remunerating and low profitability. Besides these processing of makhana seeds is a very troublesome, health risky and injury causing in which usually all the members including children of a family are involved. To enhance the socio-economic status of the makhana cultivators and involved labours necessary steps should be taken to overcome the difficulties. Considering its increasing demand in India and abroad, the harnessing of this valuable natural resource to the optimum is extremely desired in boosting the economy of our country.

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INTRODUCTION cultivators to gain income as a solution of poverty alleviation, livelihood security to the economically and nutritionally Makhana / gorgon nut / foxnut (Euryale ferox Salisb.) backward rural areas and as a source of earning foreign popularly called black diamond of the wetland is a perennial exchange. Roasted / popped makhana seeds (puffs) are tasty, herbaceous aquatic cash crop with gigantic prickly floating light, crispy, fatless, aphrodisiac, spermatogenic and with high leaves belonging to family Nymphaeaceae. It is one of the carbohydrate, protein and mineral contents. Therefore, important underutilized aquatic food crops next to deep-water makhana puffs have especially become a delicacy in the diets rice and water chestnut (Pramanik et al., 2013). The plant is a of riches and are in high demands in western and gulf countries. native to south-east Asia and widely prevalent in tropical and The area under makhana cultivation in Bihar is about 13,000 ha subtropical regions accomplished with humid to sub-humid (Kumari et al., 2014). Bihar produces about 90% of makhana environment (Jha et al., 1990). It is mainly cultivated as a of the country and according to an official figure, around source of starch and protein (Puste, 2004) in wetlands having 25,000 MT of makhana are produced every year in Bihar with water depth of about 0.5-3.0 m or even more. It was once an annual turnover of Rs.300 crores (The New Times Express, distributed in India, covering a long range from Kashmir to 2020). India’s exports for makhana are increasing @11.2% Manipur alongside the Himalayan stretch from Northwest to annually from 2013-17. In financial year 2017-18, India Fareast (Mandal et al., 2010). Its commercial cultivation is exported US $21.2 million worth of makhana to the world. It is limited to North Bihar, Manipur, parts of Assam, West Bengal expected that the global foxnuts market size will grow by US and Madhya Pradesh. In Bihar, this cash crop is grown by the $72.5 million during 2019-23 (Kumar et al., 2020). In Bihar

*Corresponding author: Sanjib Kumar Department of Botany, B.S.S. College, Supaul – 852131, Bihar, India International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Vol. 11, Issue, 11 (C), pp. 40116-40121, November, 2020 district Madhubani occupies the highest share of total Usually male folks are involved in cultivation, harvesting and production of makhana pop which contributes about 20% of processing of makhana and women and children are primarily total production in the state followed by Katihar which involved in processing. Recently, a new trend has been accounts 18%, Purnea (15%), Darbhanga (14%), Supaul (7%) observed in the districts of Katihar, Purnea and Supaul that and others (Udyog Mitra, 2012). Katihar district has a women and children have started to participate in production maximum of 21,011 ha wetland area i.e. about 10.30% of the techniques viz. spraying of fertilizers, insecticides and geographical area of the district (Panigrahy et al., 2010). This pesticides and weeding operation in makhana cultivation. The district is known to produce good quality of makhana seeds present investigation deals with the information regarding (Pramanik et al, 2013) and the seeds of this district have the makhana cultivation in Katihar, Purnea and Supaul district maximum sprouting capacity (Sinha, 1996). Considering its including water area under cultivation, annual production, profitability cultivation of makhana is now being shifted from adoption of techniques, fungicides and insecticides used and pond system to field conditions in these districts. At present, occupational choice of cultivators and the constraints faced by 40-50% of makhana crop is cultivated in low land rice field them. conditions and rest are traditionally grown in the pond systems. STUDY AREA Katihar and adjacent districts are fast emerging as important hub for cultivation and trading of makhana with best quality MATERIAL AND METHODS production (Sodi, 2016). North Eastern Bihar comprises of about 11 districts out of The collection of gorgon nut (makhana) seeds from the bottom which present study was conducted in 9 villages of Katihar, of ponds is cumbersome, tedious and strenuous operation Purnea and Supaul districts of North Eastern Bihar (Table - 1) which involves through sweeping of the entire bottom of the by adopting Delphi Technique (Linestone, 1975; Verma, 2003). pond (Hasib et al., 2003) and can only be carried out by experienced and skilled fishermen and labours of other poor Gross margin of retailer = − communities. The nuts collected from the ponds are threshed Net margin of retailer = − ( − ) by the feet to remove the membranous covering and thoroughly () Percentage margin of retailer = × 100 washed by water of the same pond (Jha et al., 2003). Presently gorgon nut is processed by the traditional method which is laborious, time consuming and causes pains and injuries to the Whereas, PRr = Total value of receipts per unit sale processors hands as it involves handling of hot roasted nuts PPr = Purchase value per unit. manually. Management constraints are also faced during CMr = Cost incurred in marketing by retailer per unit sale transportation and marketing (Verma, 2003).

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Table 1; Study Area in District Katihar, Purnea and Supaul Data was collected with the help of interview schedules developed for the purpose. Focus group discussions were Site District Block Village Barari Bhandartal undertaken in makhana growing areas of Katihar, Purnea and I Katihar Korha Jhiktiya Supaul districts. In this study, a total of nine practices related to Katihar Laliyahi makhana production and storage (selection of pond, cleaning of Baisi Baisi pond, seed sowing, thinning, gap filling / transplanting, weed II Purnea Kasba Sabdalpur Purnea East Belouri management, pest management, harvesting, cleaning and Kishanpur Ratanpura storage) and six practices related to makhana processing and III Supaul Supaul Parsa, marketing (gradation, first frying of nuts, storage, second frying Saraigarh Jhilladumri of nuts, rubbing and storage, marketing) were taken into About 150 farmers from traditional system (pond system), 60 considerations. Interactions were made with fishermen, farmers from modern system (field system),12 processors, 6 cultivators and other stakeholders involved in makhana local wholesalers, 6 distant wholesalers, 6 local retailers and 6 production in order to get first hand information. distant retailors were selected randomly as sample for the present study.

Plate - 1

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This helped in identification of different troublesome processes Table 4; Estimated Marketing Costs and Margins of Makhana and finalization of interview schedules developed for the study. Retailing (Per Quintal)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION S. N. Particulars Amount Percentage 1. Purchase Price 33000.00 66 Transportation Charges Including loading The research findings are based upon the responses of makhana 2. 410.00 0.82 and unloading cultivators in the studied area encompassing makhana 3. Cost of gunny bags 600.00 1.20 cultivation, processing, storage and marketing. Table - 2 4. Rottage and shrinkage losses 540.00 1.8 reveals the main 7 districts of Bihar where makhana is popular 5. Storage 90.00 0.2 and cultivated. Area under cultivation, production and 6. Market fee 1350.00 2.6 7. Miscellaneous Charges 600.00 1.1 productivity of makhana in Darbhanga, Madhubani, Katihar, 8. Total Marketing Cost in Carried by retailer 3850.00 7.6 Purnea, Sitamarhi, Supaul and Araria of Bihar are also 9. Net Marketing Margin by retailer 9560.00 19.0 mentioned (MIDH 2014). Table - 3 reveals the data on total 10. Consumer’s rupees 50000.00 income from sale of Makhana seeds in three districts of North- DISCUSSION Eastern Bihar. The profit further increases in the second year as no cost on seedlings is required. Various constraints were identified after discussions and

Table 2; Area, Production and Productivity of Makhana in interactions with makhana cultivators of Katihar, Purnea and Bihar Supaul districts of North-Eastern Bihar during production, Area Production Productivity of processing and marketing of makhana. Lack of ownership of S. N. District (in ha.) (in Qt.) Makhana Seeds (Qt./Ha) the pond or field is the major constraints facing by cultivators 1. Darbhanga 3850 115500 30.00 of this region as also reported earlier by Kumar et al. (2011) in 2. Madhubani 4565 136950 30.00 government or private ponds / fields. Hence, makhana 3. Katihar 1156 28900 25.00 4. Purnea 972 24300 25.00 cultivators are unable to get assurance regarding their profits. It 5. Sitamarhi 85 2125 25.00 was observed during the field study that the allocation system 6. Supaul 792 22176 28.00 of government ponds is besieged with numerous inefficiencies 7. Araria 382 7640 20.00 and bottlenecks due to which cultivators of the cluster pay more Average Total 11802 337591 productivity = 26.14 Qt./Ha. than the prescribed rate (Udyog Mitra, 2012). Drought and percolation of water are the environmental constraints faced by Table 3; Economics of Makhana Cultivation in Per Acre of makhana cultivators of study area as also reported by Verma Water Area (2003). Makhana is gradually getting out of the reach of the

Per Acre common man in Bihar due to siltation. As a result of frequent S.N. Economics of Cultivation Percentage Estimates (Rs.) floods, resulting biotopes are filling naturally with mud, silt and 1. Lease rental 15,000.00 29.76 detritus and eutrophication by weeds in Kosi region. This is 2. Pond Cleaning (15 Labours) 4,500.00 8.93 3. Gap cleaning (10 Labours) 3,000.00 5.95 also causing troublesome to makhana cultivators of Kosi 4. Fertilization and Chemicals 7,000.00 13.89 region. Siddiqui et al. (2003) also reported this problem facing 5. Weeding (18 Labours) 5,400.00 10.71 by the makhana cultivators of Darbhanga. Availability of short 6. Harvesting 12,000.00 23.8 period of lease in Govt. or private ponds or lands and growing 7. Miscellaneous Cost 3,500.00 6.94 Total Cost of Makhana of same species or variety of makhana seeds by the cultivators 8. 50,400.00 Cultivation as makhana is a monotypic genus (Goswami, 2003), were also 9. Output of Makhana Cultivation 900 Kg seen in North-Eastern region of Bihar. Left out makhana seeds Total income from Sale of 10. Rs. 1,17,000 germinate in the next season. ICAR developed improved Makhana Seeds (Rs. 130 Per Kg) 117000 - 50400 = variety of makhana, Swarna Vaidehi (Kumar et al, 2016) is out Net Profit = Rs. 66,600 of reach of the makhana cultivators and it is the major drawback in productivity of makhana (Sodi, 2016). Attack of The seeds left over at the pond bed germinate as crop in insects and fungal diseases and infestation of aquatic weeds succeeding season. Table - 4 depicts regarding estimated were the biological constraints as observed in North-Eastern marketing cost and margins of makhana retailing. However, a Bihar causing troublesome to cultivators. This leads to invest large no. of insect pests attack makhana plants during more on these practices as insecticides and fungicides are very cultivation and farmers apply various chemicals to get rid of cost effective. Harvesting is usually done by traditional them. In North-Eastern Bihar approximately 60% of makhana methods in this region which is the most drudgerous operation growers were found to apply Benzene Hexachloride (BHC) to as it is the labour intensive cultivation (Mandal et al., 2010). control aphids and other insects followed by Endosulfan 20%. Collection and processing of gorgon nuts are very tedious, Some growers were also applying Eldrin and Malathion to cumbersome and require utmost care, patience and timely control the insect pests. Makhana plants are also attacked by operations (Verma, 2003) Weak economic status of cultivators blight and hypertrophy diseases caused by fungi. Several in the region is also one of the major hindrances. Likewise, the fungicides like Manzat, Companion, Hexaconazol, Bavistin, cultivators facing in participation and intrusions of middle man Blitox, Indofil M-50, Sectin etc. were found to apply by the is also a great constraint. It has been observed that male folks farmers to control the fungal diseases. These measures of are involved in cultivation, harvesting and processing however, controlling the insect pests and fungal diseases are health and in most of the clusters women and children are also involved in environmental hazards and also enhance the production cost of cleaning, transplanting, spraying fertilizers, weeding in field makhana. system and processing (Kumari et al., 2014) This is causing health risk to them due to lack of training. For drying of 40119 | P a g e Meenu Sodi and Sanjib Kumar., Makhana Cultivation: A Troublesome Job for Cultivators in North Eastern Bihar makhana seeds cultivlators are fully dependent on sun i.e. inadequate facilities (Verma, 2003) and high price fluctuation. totally dependent on climate. Lack of processing machinery The labour intensive cultivation was also a big constraint in makes the role of human pivotal to the processing process as cultivation as also reported by Kumar et al. (2011). processing machine developed is not so successful and is out of reach of the processor. CONCLUSION

The study revealed that due to a number of abounded high Area (in ha.) in Makhana cultivation yielding water bodies, fertile soil and favourable climatic 5000 4565 3850 Area (in ha.) conditions North-Eastern Bihar has an enormous potential for 4000 integrated makhana cultivation which can be further enhanced 3000 by integrated makhana-fish cultivation. To enhance the socio- 2000 1156 economic status of the makhana cultivators following measures 972 792 382 1000 85 can be taken as traditional method of harvesting is drudgerous. 0 It can be overcome by inventing suitable harvesting techniques and equipments. By adopting proper package of practice, major constraints in makhana cultivation can be mitigated. Insecticides and fungicides should be provided at low cost and

use of herbal products should be encouraged to control pests. Graph 2a: Area of Makhana Cultivation in Bihar There should be provisions of loan and subsidiary facilities. The Government on its part can help the traders by reducing Production of Makhana (in Qt.) and checking multiplicity of taxes. Research institutions on 160000 140000 Production … their part can help them by developing new technologies of 120000 makhana cultivation, marketing, processing etc. There is a need 100000 80000 to undertake investigation on development of ready-to-eat 60000 products from makhana and suitable packaging techniques. 40000 20000 0 Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Dr. M. Rahman, Chief Scientist, Jute Research Station, Katihar, DFO Department of Fishery, Chairman of Fisherman Cooperative Societies, Katihar, Purnea

Graph 2b: Production & Productivity of Makhana in Bihar and Supaul for extending helps and some important informations in the present research work. 3,500.00 Lease rental 15,000.00 Future Scope Pond Cleaning (15 Labours) 4,500.00 Makhana cultivation and production should be recognised as an 15,000.00 Gap cleaning (10 Labours) industry. It is a high time to boost our economy by harnessing 12,000.00 3,000.00 natural resources to the optimum. Proper branding of makhana Fertilization and Chemicals pop and suitable advertisements would improve the demand for 7,000.00 Weeding (18 Labours) 5,400.00 makhana pops and their value added products.

5,400.00 4,500.00 Harvesting 12,000.00 References

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How to cite this article:

Meenu Sodi and Sanjib Kumar.2020, Makhana Cultivation: A Troublesome Job for Cultivators in North Eastern Bihar. Int J Recent Sci Res. 11(11), pp. 40116-40121. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2020.1111.5632

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