Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Food Processing Industries Shobha Karandlaje releasing a new dwarf coconut variety named ‘Kalpa Suvarna’ and two new hybrid varieties of cocoa developed by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Stating that whether arecanut cultivation and marketing have a better future or not will depend on the outcome of a case pending before the Supreme Court arguing that its consumption is harmful to health, Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Food Processing Industries Shobha Karandlaje said on Monday, March 11, that arecanut growers should go for multi-crop or inter-crop cultivation.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating a farmers’ meet organised by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) at its Kidu Research Station, near here, in Dakshina Kannada, the Minister said that on the other hand, area under arecanut is expanding like anything especially in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Cautioning arecanut growers against uncontrolled area expansion and alerting on what the Apex Court might finally order on the pending case the Minister said: “We have to speak the truth. There is no other way for arecanut growers to go for multi-crops or inter-crops.”
The Minister said that a joint scientific study by the government and private research institutes on the health benefits of arecanut is underway. It involves scientists and doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Nitte Deemed to be University, Central Food Technological Research Institute, and Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. “It is because no proper scientific study is available on the health benefits of arecanut,” she said.
The Minister said that when arecanut is consumed in its raw form it is not injurious to health. People in the traditional arecanut-growing regions have been consuming arecanut for long. Its consumers lived up to 90 years to 100 years without any health issues. Its consumption is harmful to health only when mixed with chemicals.
The Minister said that the joint scientific study on the health benefits of arecanut will help to fight the case pending before the Supreme Court. The government has reserved ₹10 crores to invest on the research, she said.
The Minister said that some vested interests are attempting to bring down the prices of arecanut in the domestic market by unnecessarily spreading rumours on the import of arecanut.
Ms. Karandlaje said that the Union government proposed a ₹225 crore package for the management of leaf spot disease in arecanut plantations. The share of the Union government in the package will be 60% and a 40% share will have to be borne by the State government which will have to identify the farmers and the area affected by the disease for managing it.
The Minister said that there is a high demand for coconut milk all across the world as it is being used as vegan food.
Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticultural Science), ICAR, Delhi, Prabhat Kumar, Union Horticulture Commissioner and K. B. Hebbar, Director, CPCRI, Kasaragod, spoke.
