Why Nikhil Kamath's Makhana post is going viral after Budget 2025 speech

Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget 2025 puts Makhana in the spotlight, sparking buzz around Nikhil Kamath's viral post on its Rs 6,000 crore global growth potential

In her Union Budget 2025 speech on Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the formation of a Makhana Board in Bihar to support the state’s flourishing Makhana (foxnut) industry. This announcement has sparked widespread attention, especially after billionaire entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, recently highlighted the massive potential of this superfood on social media.

 

Nikhil Kamath’s viral post on Makhana’s growth potential 

Just days before the Budget, on January 17, Kamath took to social media to share an insightful post on Makhana, describing it as a superfood with the potential to become a Rs 6,000 crore industry.

 

“Maybe room here to build a really large brand, an Indian brand that sells to the world. Personally, I'm hooked on Makhana,” Kamath wrote, accompanied by visuals explaining the health benefits of foxnuts and their global market potential.

 

 

Maybe room here to build a really large brand, an Indian brand that sells to the world.  Personally, I'm hooked on Makhana. pic.twitter.com/eu5yK804Ny

— Nikhil Kamath (@nikhilkamathcio) January 17, 2025

 

However, Kamath also shed light on the struggles faced by Makhana farmers. “Makhana isn’t a very high-yield crop. First, you have to work through thorny leaves and muddy ponds to gather seeds, then dry and manually pop the seeds under high heat,” he said.  

 

Highlighting inefficiencies in the process, he said, “In all of this, a lot of the crop goes to waste. Out of these, only about 2 per cent of popped seeds meet export quality standards. Only about 40 per cent of the gathered seeds are edible.”

 

Kamath also pointed out that while Makhana has traditionally been a Bihar-centric industry, it is now expanding to states like Assam, Manipur, West Bengal, Tripura, and Odisha.

 

What Nirmala Sitharaman said about the Makhana board 

During her Budget presentation, Sitharaman emphasised the growing demand for nutritious foods like Makhana. “With rising income levels, the consumption of fruits is also increasing, and remuneration for farmers will also grow in collaboration with states. There is a special opportunity in Bihar — the Makhana Board will be established in the state to provide training and support to Makhana farmers,” she said.

 

She also announced a National Mission on High-Yielding Seeds, aiming to improve agricultural productivity across India.