Makhana, also called as Lotus Seeds or Fox Nuts are popular dry snacks from India, served in a bowl. selective focusThe government has awarded geographical indication (GI) tag to ‘Mithila Makhana’, in a bid to help farmers get the maximum price for their produce.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced it in a translated tweet, which read: “Mithila Makhana [is] registered with the GI tag; farmers will get profit and it will be easier [for them] to earn. Due to [the] geographical indication tag to Mithila Makhana in the festive season, people outside [of] Bihar will [also] be able to use this auspicious material with reverence.”
GI Tag से पंजीकृत हुआ मिथिला मखाना,
किसानों को मिलेगा लाभ और आसान होगा कमाना।त्योहारी सीजन में मिथिला मखाना को Geographical Indication Tag मिलने से बिहार के बाहर भी लोग श्रद्धा भाव से इस शुभ सामग्री का प्रयोग कर पाएंगे। pic.twitter.com/SzSOlsugRB
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 20, 2022
Interestingly, Mithila Makhana — which, as indicated by its name, is cultivated in the Mithila region of Bihar and some parts of Nepal — is the fifth product from Bihar which has received the GI tag. Prior to this, Bhagalpur’s Jardalu Mango, Katarni Dhaan (rice), Nawada’s Maghai Paan and Muzaffarpur’s Shahi Litchi have been recognised.
What is a GI tag?
In a tweet, the citizen engagement platform of the government of India, ‘MyGovIndia’, explained that tag “ensures no one other than those registered as authorised users is allowed to use the popular product name”.
Did you know the significance of a GI Tag? The GI tag ensures that no one other than those registered as authorised users is allowed to use the popular product name.
Visit India’s GI Products Fair from 26th-28th August. Register now: 👉https://t.co/sJNmTVkVfG. pic.twitter.com/r7HjhfQfLv
— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) August 20, 2022
In other words, it is a “sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin”. In order to function with the GI tag, “a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place”.
Know more about Mithila Makhana
Mithila Makhana is also simply known as ‘makhan’. Its botanical name is ‘Euryale Ferox Salisb’ and it is a special variety of aquatic fox nut. It is believed that the food is famously consumed during Kojagara Puja by Maithil Brahmins, who celebrate it for newly-married couples.
Makhana is generally hailed as a healthy Indian snack. According to the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, these seeds are edible after they are processed.
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They grow on a leaf in a pond, before they are collected, washed and sun-dried for hours. After that, they are roasted in a pan at a high flame. Following this, their outer shells are broken and the white puff comes out.
It is said to be low in cholesterol, fat and sodium, and also an ideal weight-loss snack as it is low in calories.
Daljit Kaur, head, clinical nutritionist, at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, had previously told indianexpress.com that makhana has a high nutritional value and is a rich source of proteins, carbohydrates, fibre, potassium, iron, and zinc. “They can be roasted with a sprinkling of spices and condiments to provide a tasty treat.”
She added that they also help one to overcome insomnia and arthritis, and improve cognitive functions.
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