PATNA – The flourishing makhana (fox nut) industry in Bihar has been dealt a staggering blow, with traders reporting losses exceeding ₹500 crore in the last month alone. The primary culprit is the escalating conflict in West Asia, which has severely disrupted global supply chains and slammed the brakes on exports of the state’s prized “white gold.”
Export operations at the Princeton Magadh Inland Dry Port in Bihta, a critical gateway for Bihar’s agricultural trade, have ground to a near-halt. While makhana is the hardest hit, the crisis is also bleeding into the exports of rice and vegetables.
The Logistics Nightmare: Blockades and Rising Costs
The crisis reached a tipping point following the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow waterway is a vital artery for Bihar’s trade with major consumers like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
- Stalled Shipments: Thousands of tonnes of makhana are currently stranded in ships or languishing in foreign warehouses that cannot be cleared due to the regional instability.
- Price Crash: Just months ago, premium makhana was trading at ₹800 per kg. Today, prices have plummeted to ₹550–₹600 per kg—a drop of nearly 25%—as domestic markets become oversaturated with stock intended for export.
- Shipping Routes: With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed to most commercial vessels, freight costs have skyrocketed, making even the available routes economically unviable for local exporters.
Impact on the Local Economy
Bihar accounts for roughly 90% of global makhana production, making its economy uniquely vulnerable to international volatility. The sudden evaporation of demand has sent shockwaves from the high-tech processing units in Darbhanga to the traditional pond-farmers of Mithilanchal.
“Import-export activity has slowed down significantly due to the conflict in Iran,” said Sudhir Kumar, Operations In-charge at the Bihta Dry Port. “It is having a tangible, painful impact on the market, and we are desperate for the situation to stabilize.”
Crisis Summary: Bihar Export Losses (March–April 2026)
| Metric | Impact |
| Estimated Total Loss | ₹500+ Crore (One Month) |
| Price Drop (Makhana) | ₹200–₹250 per Kilogram |
| Primary Markets Hit | Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait |
| Stranded Commodities | Makhana, Basmati Rice, Seasonal Vegetables |
A Ray of Hope Amidst the Storm?
Despite the grim figures, agricultural experts are urging stakeholders not to panic. Dr. Manoj Kumar, a senior scientist at the National Research Centre for Makhana, noted that the current price dip is a “temporary result of global instability” rather than a decline in the superfood’s popularity.
With Bihar’s makhana recently making inroads into the Chinese market and maintaining high demand in the US and Europe, traders are hopeful that once shipping lanes reopen, the “Black Diamond” of Bihar will stage a rapid recovery. For now, however, the state’s exporters are left counting the cost of a war thousands of miles away.