“Danger is in store if the central government removes arecanut and arecanut products from the category of food items. It is a food item and should be considered as a food item,” said Prof T N Prakash Kammaradi, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics University of Agriculture Sciences, GKVK.
Speaking at a seminar organised by Sahyadri Sangha, Bangalore, on problems faced by Malnad Areca Growers and the Dr Gorak Singh Committee Report, here on Sunday, Kammaradi stressed on the need to highlight their problems with the state and union governments and focus on alternative uses of arecanut.
“Out of 176 taluks in the state, arecanut is grown in 140 taluks. The fat content in arecanut is about 8-10 per cent. This fat is cheaper than the ones derived from the dairy products. From an acre of arecanut, 60-70 kgs of fat can be derived, which can be used in the making of soaps, syrups, wine, etc”.
He opined that the arecanut growers can enter into agreements with National Textile Corporation, where the tannins from arecanut can be used for dyeing clothes.
Kammaradi added that the implementation of Dr Gorak Singh Committee Report is a small relief to the arecanut growers.
Ramesh Hegde, president of Shimoga Zilla Arecanut Growers Association questioned, “When there are regulations in the sale of cigarettes and beedis, why are efforts made to ban gutka?”
“Compensation is given against damage caused by wild animals. But no compensation is given for the damage caused by monkeys, which come in the list of wild animals,” he said.
He further demanded that the state government take suitable measures to market arecanuts through APMC only.
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