Darbhanga Origin of Mkhaan
Mkhaan’s presence dates back to more than 200 years ago. In the 18th Century, under the King of Darbhanga, Mkhaan cultivation was confined only in Darbhanga .The origin of Mkhaan cultivation took place in Darbhanga, a famous Mithilanchal region in the Indian state of Bihar.
There is also a well known and long-standing historical association with growing Mkhaan. The Bihar Gazetteer reported that the commercial cultivation of Mkhaan started before 1800 and from that time flourished as a commercial crop.
It is Darbhanga, where Mkhaan cultivation started with traditional methods by an impoverished community of farmers. There are around 15,000 hectares of land where is Mkhaan cultivated in India, with 80-90% of the production in Bihar. About 1.25 million tonnes of Mkhaan seeds are produced annually, from which approximately 40,000 metric tons of popped Mkhaan are obtained. According to recent studies, the Mkhaan business in India is estimated to be valued at around six hundred crores ($84m US) and is growing rapidly.
