The Karnataka Agriculture Prices Commission has convened a meeting in Bengaluru on June 6 to discuss the formation of a separate board for arecanut, its Chairman Prakash Kammaradi has said.
A technical committee comprising vice-chancellors of agriculture universities, representatives of arecanut cooperative marketing societies, and farmers’ organisations was formed to work out the modalities. Following the meeting, the Commission would submit a formal proposal to the State government, he told presspersons here on Saturday.
The formation of a separate board, on the model of the existing boards for coffee, rubber, and spices, was a long standing demand of farmers. The Chairperson of Indian Institute of Plantation Management and agriculture experts will be invited for the meeting. After the Commission submits the proposal, the State government would request the Centre to form the board by passing an Act in Parliament.
Mr. Kammaradi said that the board would collect information on the area of cultivation of arecanut, the total production, and quantum of imports and would undertake study and research on pest management and value addition for the produce. As more than 60 per cent of the total area of cultivation of arecanut is in Karnataka, the MPs from the State should also request the Centre to establish the board, he said.
Replying to a query he said that initially there was opposition from a section of cooperative societies engaged in marketing of arecanut to the formation of the board on the grounds that it would be run by bureaucrats. The Commission convinced the cooperative societies that there would be fair representation for all the stakeholders including farmers, marketing cooperative societies and agriculture experts on the board.
