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Billionaire Nikhil Kamath’s ‘hooked on makhana’ remark goes viral after Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget speech. Here’s why
In a previous post, Nikhil Kamath said that there is potential for a ₹6000 makhana industry and expressed his love for the foxnuts.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech on Saturday, proposed the formation of a Makhana Board in Bihar. This board would support the state’s prominent Makhana (foxnut) industry. Amid this, an old remark by billionaire Nikhil Kamath attracted the attention of social media. Just a few days ago, he shared a detailed post explaining how the nutrient-rich superfood from India has the potential to form a ₹6,000 crore industry in the future.
What did Nikhil Kamath post?
On January 17, the Zerodha co-founder wrote, “Maybe room here to build a really large brand, an Indian brand that sells to the world. Personally, I'm hooked on Makhana.” He shared a series of visuals that show why foxnut is a superfood and how it could potentially form a huge industry, serving customers globally.
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Further, Nikhil Kamath shared the problems faced by the Makhana farmers. “Makhana isn't a very high-yield crop. First, you have to work through thorny leaves & muddy ponds to gather seeds, then dry & manually pop the seeds under high heat,” he shared, adding, “In all of this, a lot of the crop goes to waste. Out of these, only about 2% of popped seeds meet export quality standards. Only about 40% of the gathered seeds are edible.”
On the thread, he also added, “What was once mostly a Bihari business has now opened up to states like Assam, Manipur, West Bengal, Tripura & Odisha.”
Take a look at the X thread here:
Nirmala Sitharaman on Makhana Board:
“With rising income levels, the consumption in fruits is also increasing and remuneration for farmers will also increase in collaboration with states. There is a special opportunity in Bihar, the Makhana board will be established in the state. The board will provide training and support to Makhana farmers,” the finance minister said during her speech. “A national mission on high yielding seeds will be launched,” she added.
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What are your thoughts on Nikhil Kamath’s post? Do you think makhana can turn into a global superfood?
