As Trump’s tariffs hit Indian fox nuts, the superfood eyes new markets

Ravjit Singh, a leather-candy trader based in Denver, Colorado, has begun to feel the pinch of recent US tariffs on Indian goods.

The 50-year-old, who is a native of Kolkata in eastern India, claimed that rising grocery prices have hampered his family’s finances, particularly with regard to fox nuts, a popular family snack, in particular.

He claimed that tariffs have caused the monthly budget to increase to $900, which was $500 before the pandemic, and that this has increased.

He noted that the cost of a pack of 25 grams (0. 9 ounces) of fox nuts, which were once $2, has since increased to $ 4, along with price increases for other household staples like lentils and basmati rice.

With a significant presence in India, China, Nepal, and Japan, water lily seeds are known as “fox nuts,” which are the kernels that are popped. They are found in both tropical and subtropical regions of South and East Asia. The nuts have quickly gained a reputation as powerful immunity boosters because of their high content of protein, calcium, antioxidants, and vitamins.

Trump’s tariffs haven’t been without their effects: the US president first imposed a 25% levy on Indian goods before increasing it to a 50% levy on Indian oil imports, which he claimed were helping Russia’s war on Ukraine. Businesses in India with US export markets that include those that export shrimp, diamonds, and textiles have been particularly affected by the tariffs.

Fox nuts exporters have experienced a 40% decline in sales in the US.

Some are seeing a glimmer of hope in the crisis, where Indian fox enthusiasts are finding new, alternative markets and a growing demand for the superfood in India.

The “Nascent Stage”

Fox nuts are a source of income for about 150 000 farmers in India grown in low-lying regions, particularly in eastern Bihar. 90% of global production is produced by the nation.

Every year, the state grows 40 000 metric tons of popped fox nuts and 120 000 metric tons of seeds on 40 000 hectares (99 000 acres) of land.

A depth of between 1. 3 and 1. 8 meters (4 to 6 feet) is used to cultivate the crops in shallow agricultural fields. Because new plants can easily germinate from older seeds, it is not expensive.

Depending on the size of the seeds, laborers use traditional tools like horn-shaped split bamboo and nets to sweep the entire body of water collected on fields for seeds until the end of November during which time the harvesting season begins in mid-July.

The collected seeds are first sun-dried before being heated to brittle in a clay or iron pan. The final edible makhana puff, which has been roasted once more for a final crunch, is finally hammered from the seeds.

India exported 800 metric tons of fox nuts to nations like Germany, China, the US, and the Middle East between 2024 and 2025. However, Satyajit Singh, whose business Shakti Sudha Agro Ventures controls half of India’s total exports of the health food, claims that the US is in charge of the market, where 50% of fox nuts are exported.

According to Singh, the industry’s total turnover, including the domestic market, is about 3.6 billion rupees ($40 million).

We need to spread more awareness about it both domestically and abroad, he added, because the sector has a lot of potential because it is still in its early stages and limited to [the] Indian diaspora in]the] international market.

According to him, the Indian diaspora and public awareness of the health benefits of fox nuts are already generating demand in new markets like Spain and South Africa.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, when people became aware of the nuts’ health benefits, Ketan Bengani, 28, an exporter of fox nuts from Kolkata, has reported a double-yearly increase in domestic demand for the nuts.

His exports, which total about 46 metric tons, have fallen 40% since the tariffs were implemented. He is not too concerned, he said, and anticipates adjusting for the rising demand in India.

Numerous young entrepreneurs have been drawn to the high demand in the past.

Md Gulfaraz, 27, a fox nut producer and exporter based in Charkhi village in Bihar’s Purnea district, is one of them.

Due to burgeoning domestic demand, Gulfaraz reported to Al Jazeera that this business’ sales have increased from 5.4 million rupees ($60, 000) in 2019 to 45 million rupees ($500, 00) in the fiscal year ending in March 2025.

Domestically strong economy

In traditional Indian kitchens, fox nuts, or mhanas, were once a common occurrence, but like many other traditional foods, they lost out on the polished marketing campaigns, branding, and flavor of more contemporary Indian snacks.

Due to their immunity advantages, the pandemic brought fox nuts back in favor. Makhanas are currently available on Indian supermarket shelves in flavors ranging from tangy tomato to cheese to onion and cream.

Sujay Verma, a native of Bihar and a child of fox nuts, told Al Jazeera that he gives his two daughters a plate each day for breakfast.

“We were rushing after the expensive food items that had been packed, which left me in a hole. Fox nuts, however, are not only cheap but also healthy, he claimed.

Fox nuts have a business potential, too, according to the Indian government. A makhana board was established earlier this year, and it will receive an initial investment of one billion rupees ($11 million) to institutionalize the value chain, provide training, technical support, quality regulation, and facilitate exports.

The top officials in the Indian government are behind the move, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should introduce the superfood to the world because he consumes it most days at a rally earlier this year.

Due to higher profits, farmers and workers are also converting to fox nuts from other crops.

For every 50 kg (110 lbs) of collected seeds, associate professor Anil Kumar of Bhola Paswan Shastri Agricultural College in Purnia, Bihar, earns about 2, 000 rupees ($22) per day. This is more than twice as much as the 700 to 900 rupee ($8 to $10) that are typically given to unskilled laborers in India.

Farmers were paid 81 rupees ($0.90) per kilogram for 5, 000 hectares (12, 000 acres) of land in 2010, he claimed. Farmers are paid 450 rupees ($5) per kilogram for fox nuts while about 40 (99, 000 acres) of land are currently being used to cultivate them.

Source: Aljazeera