Bihar: food, farms and farsan.

What farsan and sweets is Bihar known for?

• Silao khajaLayered, flaky wheat-flour pastry, fried and sugaredGI 2018
• ThekuaFried wheat-flour and jaggery biscuit, made for Chhath
• Gaya tilkutPounded sesame with sugar or jaggery, a winter speciality

Looking for a product like these, made for your market? Make and Source are the doors for it.

What does Bihar export?

• Makhana

  Bihar has about 90% of India's output; GI makhana shipped to the UAE and USA in 2024-25; 7 tonnes to New Zealand, Canada and the USA (September 2025)

  Source

• Shahi litchi

  First GI-certified consignment to the UK by air (May 2021); Bihar has about 40% of India's litchi

  Source

• Jardalu mango

  Reached international markets in 2023 (no volume given)

  Source

India publishes few export figures by state of origin. Where a figure is national, a port total or a single shipment, it says so.

Where is it grown, processed and shipped?

• Darbhanga

  Makhana growing and popping (ODOP); heart of Mithila makhana (GI 2022) Source

• Purnea, Purnia

  National Makhana Board launched here (September 2025); maize products ODOP Source

• Muzaffarpur

  Shahi litchi (GI 2018), litchi ODOP; first litchi export to the UK (2021) Source

• Bhagalpur

  Jardalu mango and Katarni rice (GI 2018); Jardalu mango ODOP Source

• Silao, Nalanda

  Silao khaja layered sweet (GI 2018) Source

• Gaya

  Tilkut sesame sweet (GI pending); sesame products ODOP Source

• Bettiah, West Champaran

  Marcha aromatic rice (GI 2023); sugarcane products ODOP Source

• Patna

  APEDA regional office (2025), phytosanitary facility for litchi exports, bakery ODOP Source

Sources

• APEDA, Bihar GI list
• PIB backgrounder on makhana (August 2026)
• ICAR National Research Centre on Litchi
• GI Registry, Silao khaja
• GI Registry, Gaya tilkut (application under examination)
• ODOP product list (May 2023)