Usually, Foxnut cultivation is done in Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Rajasthan, U.P etc although Bihar is the largest producer of Makhana but it can be easily grown in fields with some knowledge. Foxnut is an edible seed which belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family.  Foxnut cultivation is done in still waters like swamps, ponds etc. in places which are blessed with tropical climate.  One plant of Makhana produces about 80 to 100 Makhana seedlings which can easily be harvested and sold.

The spread of Covid 19 has brought a lot of change in the market as well as the behavioral pattern of people when it comes to business.  During the strict lockdown it was observed that the only people who survived well were people dealing with production of food items and medicines which has forced a lot of people to think of getting back to farming for sustainable livelihood.  People are looking into traditional cultivation or cultivating crops that are high in demand and come in the group of healthy foods.  One such crop among many is Foxnut or Makhana.  

Usually, Foxnut cultivation is done in Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Rajasthan, U.P etc although Bihar is the largest producer of Makhana but it can be easily grown in fields with some knowledge.

Foxnut is an edible seed which belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family.  Foxnut cultivation is done in still waters like swamps, ponds etc. in places which are blessed with tropical climate.  One plant of Makhana produces about 80 to 100 Makhana seedlings which can easily be harvested and sold.

According to research done on Makhana farming, it can now be grown in low farmland as well.  The Indian Council of Agriculture Research Scientists have developed a new technology through which Makhana farming can be done in low farmland or with crops like rice, wheat and green fodder.

The average production of Makhana is around 50,000 tons and yields around Rs. 500 crore per annum in India. This edible seed was initially grown in water which was to be four to six feet deep and no other crop could be cultivated with it.  Experiments were done in Foxnut cultivation by sowing the Makhana seedlings in fields with clay soil and with some care one can easily cultivate 22 to 30 quintals/hectare in comparison to the 12 to 15 quintals/hectare during traditional cultivation.  

With this newfound knowledge Foxnut cultivation can be harvested between five to six months which is usually in March and April and harvested in July and August. After harvesting Makhana the farmers can grow rice in the same field without much hassle but since we are talking about the traditional cultivation of foxnut let us look at how it can be grown. 

If you are interested in learning about Foxnut cultivation and production then this article can help you in Makhana farming. 

Steps of Foxnut cultivation

1.  The first step for Foxnut cultivation is to create ponds of around 4 to 6 feet with still water in it. 
2. You can then either use left over Makhana seeds from the previous lot or buy them from the market, they are available online as well. 
3. The Makhana seedlings are mostly prepared like other nursery plants and then are transplanted in the ponds somewhere between February to April.
4. It is then harvested between August to October through skilled laborers.  It usually starts around 10 in the morning and takes about six to seven hours to collect the seeds from the bottom of the water body.    
5. These seeds are sun dried and are divided between 5 – 7 grades depending on their size.  Farmers generally use multiple sieves to divide them.  
6. These seeds are then heated in an earthen or cast-iron pot at 250 degree Celsius to 3000 degree Celsius while regularly stirring them for about 6 to 8 minutes. 
7. The seeds are then stored in a dry place for about three to four days which helps them lose the inner edible part. 
8. After this process the seeds are then roasted and polished then reheated at 2900 degree Celsius to 3400 degree Celsius for about 2 minutes or till they start to pop.  
9. The popped seeds are then hammered to remove the kernel from the coating.  These kernels are then rubbed with bamboo baskets. 
10. These white and crispy edible seeds are then packed according to the size and are either stored or transported.