Fruit rot disease hits arecanut plantations again

Normally, areca nut is harvested and the processing of red areca nut commences after Vijayadashami. Unfortunately, this year, as rain lashed in the first week of November, areca nut trees are affected with fruit rot disease (Kole roga), which has affected the harvest.

Fruit rot disease has affected a vast track of areca nut plantations at Kalasa, Kalakodu,
S K Megal, Samse, Nellibeedu, Marasanige and Hirebailu villages. As a result, the farmers are forced to spray Bordeaux mixture when the areca nuts are ready for harvest.

Owing to the continuous rainfall after October 15, the plantations are affected by the disease.

Dharanendra, a farmer from Heblooru said, “We spray Bordeaux mixture in the last week of June and during the first week of September to protect the plants from getting affected by the disease. Unfortunately, Kole roga has struck the bunches of areca nuts that are ready for harvest. With this, about 30% to 70% of the crop has been damaged.”

“A few farmers have started spraying Bordeaux mixture after the harvest to protect the trees from getting infected with the disease. As a result, the expenditure of areca nut growers has increased,” he said.

“The areca nuts have started falling on the ground. We did not apply for compensation in the month of August after heavy rain lashed the region. Now, areca nuts have started falling. Only those who had submitted applications seeking compensation for crop loss in August get compensation,” said a farmer.