A high-level meeting on areca nut development was held at Krishi Bhavan today under the chairmanship of Union Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Union Minister Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi, Ministers of State, MPs from Karnataka, and senior officials participated.
Shri Chouhan directed ICAR scientists to submit an early research report on whether areca nut is non-carcinogenic, noting that confusion created by a WHO report must be clarified quickly. He stressed that areca nut has been part of Indian culture for centuries and is widely used in rituals as well as Ayurvedic and veterinary medicines.
The Minister assured that farmers facing heavy losses due to viral diseases will be compensated and highlighted measures to tackle areolate mildew and ensure availability of clean planting material. Issues such as illegal imports, moisture problems, and price differentials were also discussed in detail.
He further said that he would personally visit Karnataka with a team of experts to assess the ground situation and prepare a roadmap for sustainable areca nut development.
India accounts for 63% of global areca nut production, with Karnataka leading at 10 lakh tonnes annually. The crop supports nearly six million livelihoods and contributes over ₹58,000 crore to the economy. In 2023–24, India also exported over 10,000 tonnes worth ₹400 crore.
To safeguard farmers, the government has raised the Minimum Import Price of areca nuts to ₹351/kg, imposed 100% import duty, strengthened FSSAI quality checks, and launched scientific programmes worth several crores to control diseases and boost productivity.