From the fox-nut farms of Purnia, Bihar to the markets of Greece; from the pulse fields of Kalaburagi, Karnataka to the shores of the Maldives — Indian agriculture is finding new addresses abroad. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday, October 25, 2026, shared these vivid export milestones on X, citing remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the latest edition of Mann Ki Baat.

Chouhan quoted PM Modi directly: 'Vocal for Local ki bhavna ab hamare utpadon ko duniya ke baazaron tak pahuncha rahi hai' — 'The spirit of Vocal for Local is now carrying our products to the markets of the world.' The two products he spotlighted are not incidental. Makhana, or fox nut, is a niche superfood in high global demand. Arhar, or pigeon pea, is a dietary staple across South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. Both are grown by small and marginal farmers who rarely see the upside of export premiums. The argument being made, simply, is that they now will.

Purnia's Makhana and the European Shelf

Purnia district in Bihar accounts for a dominant share of India's makhana output, a crop cultivated in shallow freshwater ponds and long considered a local delicacy. The product has attracted attention for its high protein content, low-calorie profile, and clean-label appeal — attributes that have driven demand in European health-food markets. The move to position Purnia makhana on Greek shelves is consistent with India's push to register niche agricultural products under Geographical Indication tags and leverage them as premium export commodities.

The Agricultural Export Policy of 2018 explicitly identified makhana as one of the value-added products with untapped potential in non-traditional markets. Getting it into Europe marks a tangible step in that direction.

Kalaburagi's Arhar and the Maldives Connection

Kalaburagi — also known as Gulbarga — is one of Karnataka's driest districts and one of India's most significant arhar-producing belts. Pigeon pea exports have historically flowed to East Africa and parts of South Asia, but the Maldives link signals a sharper focus on India's immediate neighbourhood. For a small island nation with limited arable land, Indian pulses are a food-security lifeline. Securing this supply corridor benefits both the Maldivian consumer and the Kalaburagi farmer.

The bilateral trade relationship between India and the Maldives has grown steadily, with agricultural and food products forming a core pillar. Expanding that to include specific pulse varieties from identified districts deepens the supply chain in a way that is difficult for competitors to replicate.

Mann Ki Baat as a Policy Amplifier

The Mann Ki Baat radio programme, broadcast monthly by PM Modi, has served repeatedly as a platform to highlight grassroots economic wins — a farmer who found a new buyer, a craftsperson who cracked an overseas market. Chouhan's decision to amplify this specific episode underscores how the Agriculture Ministry is aligning its communication with the 'Vocal for Local' narrative that originated with the Atmanirbhar Bharat package in 2020.

The broader strategic logic is diversification: reduce dependence on a handful of large buyers, increase the share of value-added farm goods in India's export basket, and ensure that premium prices reach the farm gate rather than stopping at the trader. Whether the data when it comes from the Commerce Ministry's next quarterly agricultural export report bears out the momentum is the question to watch.