Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha MP demands Centre take steps to control yellow disease in areca palms

New Delhi: Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha member Brijesh Chowta has urged the Centre to take steps to prevent the spread of yellow leaf disease to areca nut plantations.

"India was the largest producer and consumer of areca nut in the world. In Dakshina Kannada alone, more than 50 per cent agricultural land is being used to grow areca nut. But the Yellow Leaf Disease has posed a challenge to growers as it has caused massive damage to plantations," he said in the Lok Sabha.

“Campco reported that over 16,000 hectares of areca plantations had been destroyed due to the disease which directly hit over 6,000 farmers. This can be addressed with a one-time compensation and setting up of a research center for developing disease-resistant varieties of areca and control the spread of disease," the BJP member said.

“Collective action and commitment can address the concerns that loom over the future of arecanut cultivation in Dakshina Kannada," he said.