A delegation of the Federation of Karnataka State Arecanut Cooperative Societies met the Karnataka Law Minister and urged him to withdraw a recent order banning the sale of ‘paan masala’ in the state, reports Hindu.
The delegation told the minister such a decision will greatly affect arecanut farmers.
As per an order dated October 26, the state govt. had banned the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of gutkha and paan masala (containing tobacco or nicotine), and any other products marketed separately constituting as gutkha or paan masala.
The federation is quoted claiming the price of the commodity fell by around Rs10 a kg in the areas producing red arecanut following this govt order.
Karnataka is the major producer of arecanut in the country. India produces around 7 lakh tonnes of arecanut from 4.42 lakh hectares. Of this, 28 of the 30 districts in Karnataka produce around 4.57 lakh tonnes from an area of 2.18 lakh hectares.