Centre forms panel to study arecanut crop yellow leaf disease

The Union Ministry of Agriculture has constituted an expert committee to study and suggest remedies to the yellow leaf disease in arecanut crops.

The committee has seven members - Anita Karun, Director, Indian Council of Agriculture Science - Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasargod; Honey Cherian, Director, Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), Kozhikode; Femina, Deputy Director, DASD, Kozhikode; Ravi Bhat, Acting Head, Division of Crop Production, ICAR, CPCRI, Kasargod; M Wali, Director of Research, University of Agriculture, Shivamogga, H R Naik, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Dakshina Kannada; Vinayaka Hedge, Acting Head, Division of Crop Protection, ICAR, CPCRI, Kasargod.

“The committee may convene a meeting and develop strategies to address the issue of yellow leaf disease of arecanut,” said the government order.

Earlier this week, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje held a meeting with officials of and suggested immediate scientific study of the disease.

Recently, a delegation comprising BJP leaders from Malnad region led by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and requested him to depute a team of scientists to study the disease and suggest remedial measures.