A high-level meeting on arecanut development was held at Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The meeting brought together Union Ministers H. D. Kumaraswamy and Pralhad Joshi, Ministers of State, MPs from areca nut–producing regions, and senior officials from multiple ministries.
Key topics discussed included disease control, such as combating areolate mildew, improving access to clean planting material, and compensation for farmers suffering viral infections. The meeting also addressed illegal imports, moisture issues, and the pricing disparity between small and large nuts, with assurances that solutions will follow in a time-bound manner.
Referring to a WHO report that created confusion about areca nuts from Karnataka, Chouhan highlighted that the ICAR scientific team is conducting studies and will submit findings within a fixed timeframe. He praised the use of areca nuts in cultural, religious, Ayurvedic, and veterinary practices.
It beras recalling that to bolster farmer welfare and marketing stability, CAMPCO (the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing & Processing Co-operative) plays important role in in ensuring fair prices, stabilizing areca nut markets, and supporting growers through procurement and value-addition efforts.
Chouhan announced plans to visit Karnataka with scientists and experts to assess conditions on the ground and chart a development roadmap.