The Centre has assured areca growers that it will take action against arecanut smuggling from other countries.
A delegation of the heads of arecanut co-operatives from Karnataka, along with the elected representatives from areca-growing region, had met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu, and Interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi recently.
The delegation briefed them on the extent of arecanut smuggling from Myanmar and other countries.
SR Satishchandra, President of Campco, said the ministers responded positively to the requests of the delegation and promised to take immediate action on the illegal import of poor quality arecanut by tightening the borders.
Satishchandra recently told BusinessLine that poor quality arecanut from Myanmar was being smuggled into the country through Silchar in Assam and Falakanta in West Bengal. He had mentioned that the imported arecanut is mixed with the domestic arecanut and marketed, affecting the prospects of growers.
Such consignments are then sent by rail and road to major markets, he said, adding that the imported produce was sold at a lower price .
Satishchandra said that tightening borders would help curb the illicit imports of arecanut and enable farmers to get a remunerative price for their produce.
