New Delhi [India], August 8 (ANI): GI-tagged Mithila Makhana has been exported from Bihar to Australia by sea for the first time, with the 18-metric-tonne consignment providing farmers in Darbhanga nearly 18 per cent higher returns than the market price, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday.

Calling the development 'another major milestone in the global market', Goyal said the shipment was facilitated with the support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

'18 metric tons of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana was exported for the first time from Bihar to Australia via sea route,' Goyal said in a post on X.

The minister said the consignment was 'procured directly from farmers in Darbhanga', adding that this provided them with nearly 18 per cent more profit compared with the market price.

The shipment comprised around 18 metric tonnes packed in seven containers and was flagged off by Bihar Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha from the Integrated Unit of Irradiation Cum Packhouse at Bihta, Patna, according to the Bihar Agriculture Department.

The department described the shipment as a significant milestone for Bihar's agricultural exports, saying the initiative connects the state's farmers with global markets and marks a step towards moving from 'Production to Export.'

It said modern facilities for irradiation, quality testing, packaging and logistics are helping prepare Bihar's agricultural products in line with global quality standards. The department also said the initiative, which began with Makhana, could open new possibilities for other agricultural products from the state to reach international markets.

The latest shipment also comes amid efforts to strengthen Bihar's agri-export ecosystem through capacity building, export infrastructure, quality compliance, market linkages and value addition.

APEDA has been working with state governments, exporters, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), processors and other stakeholders on quality assurance, export facilitation and market development.

These efforts are aimed at expanding global market access for Bihar's agricultural products while creating sustainable income opportunities for farmers, processors and exporters. (ANI)