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A.J. Vinayak

Disease widespread in some growing areas

Mangalore , Aug 18

The yield of white arecanut is likely to come down in the next season, as fruit rot disease is widespread in some of the arecanut-growing areas.

Fruit rot disease - characterised by heavy shedding of immature nuts - is seen during the South-West monsoon.

Occurrence of the disease is directly related to arecanut production in the coming season.

Some of the arecanut-growing pockets such as Dharmasthala, Karkala, Kundapura, Vittal and Kasaragod have been badly affected by the disease.

Continuous rainfall and the scarcity of skilled labourers to manage the arecanut plantations are some of the reasons for the spread of the disease.

Mr M. Srinivasa Achar, President of the All-India Areca Growers' Association, told Business Line on Friday that 25-30 per cent of the plantations had been affected by fruit rot disease in some pockets of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

Though the disease claims nearly 10 per cent of the production every year, the production loss may reach 25-30 per cent in the coming season, he said. (Growers begin crop harvesting in November.)

Added to this, steep increase in the price of copper sulphate - the main ingredient required for controlling the disease - has worsened the situation. Sources in the South Kanara Agriculturists Co-operative Marketing Society said that there has been good demand for copper sulphate from disease-affected areas.

"The grower will not stop spraying copper sulphate just because the prices have gone up. The main reason here is the scarcity of skilled labourers for spraying the mixture on arecanut plants," Mr Achar said.

Ageing of existing skilled labourers and lack of interest among the youth to work in plantations are seen as main reasons for this situation.

Depending on the intensity of rainfall, arecanut growers spray copper sulphate mixture on plants at least three times during monsoon.

RESEARCH

Stressing the need for a suitable remedy to control the disease, Mr Achar said: "No alternative has been found for copper sulphate to control the disease. More research is needed in this regard."

Mr Ramesh K, a grower from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district, said that research centres have given more attention on developing new varieties of arecanut.

They should also focus on developing an alternative to copper sulphate to control the disease, he added.

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