Economics of Foxnut (Euryale ferox Salisb.) cultivation: A case study from Manipur in North eastern India

Abstract

The Foxnut or Gorgon nut (Euryale ferox Salisb.) belonging to the family Euryalaceae and locally called as “Thangjing” in Manipuri and “Makhana” in Hindi is an important annual aquatic vegetable cash crop of Manipur. Both leaf petiole and fruits after removing the spiny cover are eaten raw or cooked and is regarded as a delicacy in the traditional cuisine and is highly preferred. The foxnut fruits are sold in the local markets of Manipur during June-October with an estimated quantity of 43.4 tonnes which fetch around Rs 3.8 lakhs annually in Imphal market alone. The agro-practice and estimation of economics of foxnut has been carried out. Around 2500 plants with plant to plant spacing of 2×2 m 2 can be cultivated in one hectare of land with an annual production of 75,000 fruits which is on an average yield of 30 fruits per plant annually. The market cost of foxnut fruit varies from Rs 2-8 per fruit depending upon the size of the fruit, availability and season. Under scientific cultivation of foxnut, a total income of Rs 2.25 lakhs can be generated annually per hectare of land where Rs 2.09 lakhs is the net income.