Purnia: Taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Vocal for Local” and “Local to Global” to build an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, Geographical Indication(GI)-tagged Mithila Makhana (fox nut) from Bihar’s Purnia, is being successfully exported to Dubai for the first time via sea route.
This achievement is proof that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, Bihar is now meeting international benchmarks of quality standards, packaging, traceability, and logistics.
The coordinated efforts of The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Bihar government are translating the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Export Policy and the commitment to give GI products global recognition into reality at the grassroots level.
The arrival of Mithila Makhana in Dubai is not just an export milestone, but a strong message that products grown in the fields of Bihar are now making their mark in global markets, while simultaneously opening new avenues of employment for local people.
Manish Kushwaha, a Makhana exporter, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Local to Global” now appears to be proving true, adding that “if the Prime Minister had not introduced the scheme, it would not have seemed meaningful for the people of the village. We were able to purchase the machine only after the scheme was introduced, and then after subsidy came. I would rather say it is not only local to global but village to global”.
“With the help of GI and APEDA, we get stalls, which gives us an opportunity to connect with foreign trades, and do seamless business,” Kushwaha said.
“Earlier in 2022, Makhana was priced at around Rs 600 to 800 and now benefiting the international trade they are getting Rs 30,000 to 35,000 so the income of the farmers is not only doubled, I would rather say its tripled.”
Shatrughan Kumar Sharma, a factory worker, said: “Earlier I was forced to travel long distance to Mumbai in hunt of job opportunities, which took a lot of toll on my economic conditions. However, now I feel satisfied to work in my own hometown, which saves me a lot of money and travelling time.”
Jaipreet Kumar, another factory worker, said: “I have been working in the makhana factory since past two years, earlier I was employed in Ghaziabad drawing a monthly salary of Rs 10,000 to 12,000. However, now by working in the makhana factory, I earn around Rs 30,000 to 35,000 which eventually gets saved as he works without the hassle of travelling and other expenditure while he lives in a nearby village.”
(IANS)
