High-Level Meeting on Areca
Nut Development
·
Union Ministers, Ministers of State, and
MPs from areca nut–producing regions of Karnataka participated
·
Union Agriculture Minister directed scientists
to submit an early research report on whether areca nut is non-carcinogenic
·
Losses faced by areca nut farmers due to
viral diseases will be suitably compensated
·
WHO Report Concerns: Clarification needed on misconceptions about
Karnataka-grown areca nut. ICAR scientists tasked with an evidence-based study,
report to be submitted within a fixed timeframe.
·
Crop Diseases: Focus on controlling areolate mildew, Yellow
Leaf Disease (YLD), and Leaf
Spot Disease (LSD). Availability of clean planting material emphasized.
·
Farmer Compensation: Government considering compensation for farmers
affected by viral infections and yield losses.
·
Imports & Pricing: Issues of illegal imports, excessive moisture,
and price disparities between small and large nuts discussed.
·
Assurance to Farmers: All issues to be resolved in a time-bound
manner; farmers’ and industry interests will be protected.
·
Cultural & Medicinal Significance: Areca nut acknowledged as integral to India’s
social, religious, and Ayurvedic traditions.
·
Field Visit: Minister Chouhan will visit Karnataka with a team
of scientists to review challenges and draft a long-term roadmap.
Background & Industry
Snapshot
·
India’s Position: World’s largest producer (63% of global
production).
·
Production (2023–24): ~14 lakh tonnes from 9.49 lakh hectares.
o
Karnataka leads with 10 lakh tonnes from 6.76 lakh
hectares.
·
Value: ₹58,664 crore (approx. market value).
·
Livelihoods: 6 million people dependent on areca nut
cultivation.
·
Exports (2023–24): 10,637 tonnes worth ₹400 crore.
o
Destinations: UAE, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia,
Maldives.
Government Interventions
·
Import Safeguards:
o
100% import duty imposed.
o
MIP revised to ₹351/kg (from ₹251/kg).
o
FSSAI instructed to enforce strict quality checks.
o
Customs to scrutinize “rules of origin”.
·
Disease Management & R&D:
o
National
Scientific Committee on areca
nut (constituted Oct 2022).
o
₹3,700 lakh allocated to Karnataka (2024–25)
under MIDH scheme.
o
₹860.65 lakh released for Karnataka (FY
2025–26) under “Special Intervention”.
o
DASD demonstration on LSD management (50 ha in 10
taluks, outlay ₹6.316 crore, 2024–27).
·
Research & Technology:
o
“Evidence-Based Research on Areca Nut & Human
Health” (₹9.99 crore, 16 agencies).
o
Frontline demonstrations by DASD & ICAR-CPCRI
to promote income-enhancing technologies.
[ABS News Service/22.08.2025]
A
high-level meeting on areca nut development was held on 21 August,
2025 at Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Agriculture
& Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The meeting was attended by Union
Minister of Heavy Industries H. D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament from
areca nut–producing regions, and senior officials from various departments and ministries.
Several important issues related to the areca nut crop were discussed in detail
during the meeting.
Referring
to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, the Union Minister said the report
had created some confusion regarding areca nuts produced in Karnataka. To dispel
these misconceptions, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)’s team of scientists is
conducting studies and the team has been instructed to
submit its report within a fixed time frame.
Mr.
Chouhan said that people in India have been consuming areca nuts since time immemorial,
and it is used in every auspicious occasion in the country. He said a disease like
“areolate mildew”, which destroys areca nut trees, is being addressed by scientific
teams. The availability of clean planting material was also discussed. The Union
Agriculture Minister said the government is seriously considering appropriate compensation
to farmers for the heavy losses caused by viral infections. Issues such as illegal
imports of areca nuts, moisture problems, and price differentials between small
and large nuts were also extensively discussed. He assured that all issues will
be resolved in a time-bound manner and that the interests of farmers and the areca
nut industry will be fully protected.
The
Minister said that areca nut is an important commercial crop that holds a significant
place in India’s religious, social, and cultural practices. Due to the presence
of various alkaloids, it is also used in Ayurvedic and veterinary medicines.
Shivraj
Singh Chouhan further said he would personally visit Karnataka along with a team
of scientists and experts to review the situation on the ground and formulate a
roadmap for the development of areca nut cultivation.
Background
India
is the world’s largest producer of areca nuts, accounting for about 63% of total
global production. In 2023–24, India produced approximately 14 lakh tonnes of areca
nuts from 9.49 lakh hectares.
Karnataka
ranks first, with a production of 10 lakh tonnes from 6.76 lakh hectares, followed
by Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and others. The total
market value of areca nuts produced in the country is approximately ₹58,664
crore as per current prices. It is estimated that around six million people in India
are occupationally dependent on areca nut farming.
In
2023–24, India exported 10,637 tonnes of areca nuts worth ₹400 crore. Major
export destinations include the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Nepal, Malaysia,
and the Maldives.
To
protect the interests of areca nut farmers, the Government of India has taken various
measures, such as:
·
Areca
nut imports remain a major challenge; to curb them, 100% import duty has been imposed.
·
The
Minimum Import Price (MIP) of areca nuts has been revised from ₹251 per kg
to ₹351 per kg.
·
The
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has advised its regional offices
to strictly enforce quality standards before approving import consignments.
·
Customs
officials have been instructed to carefully examine the rules of origin.
·
To address
diseases such as Yellow Leaf Disease (YLD) and Leaf Spot Disease (LSD), a National
Scientific Committee (NSC) on areca nuts was constituted on 20 October 2022. Under
the MIDH scheme, ₹3,700 lakh was allocated to Karnataka in 2024–25 for disease
management.
·
Apart
from this, under the ‘Special Intervention’ programme of the MIDH scheme, ₹860.65
lakh has been released to Karnataka for FY 2025–26. Additionally, the Directorate
of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD) is implementing
a scientific demonstration programme on LSD management across 50 hectares in 10
taluks of Karnataka, with an approved outlay of ₹6.316 crore for the period
2024–27.
·
A project
titled ‘Evidence-Based Research on Areca Nut and Human Health’ is underway, involving
about 16 national and state-level agencies, for which ₹9.99 crore have been
allocated under the MIDH scheme.
·
Currently,
DASD, in collaboration with ICAR-CPCRI, is implementing frontline demonstration
programmes to promote advanced technologies aimed at increasing farmers’ income
per unit area.