The All-India Areca Growers’ Association has asked the candidates contesting Lok Sabha elections to make their stand clear on various issues related to arecanut.

In a letter to the MLAs of the arecanut-growing region and to the candidates contesting the Lok Sabha election, M Srinivas Achar, president of the association, said the parties should make clear their views on the threat of ban on arecanut.

This follows an affidavit filed by the Additional Solicitor General, on behalf of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in Supreme Court last year that arecanut consumption is harmful to health.

He said that around four lakh farmers produce around 2.5 lakh tonnes of arecanut on six lakh acres of land in the country. These farmers have invested around ₹40,000 crore on this crop, and are contributing around ₹15,000 crore to the national income every year.

The farmers are always under the threat of ban on arecanut.

The association urged the candidates and MLAs to pass resolution in their respective bodies to withdraw the affidavit submitted before the court, and sought an assurance from political parties in this regard.

The association also urged them to make their views clear on its demand to set up a fund to rehabilitate growers whose plantations are affected by various diseases. There should be a research centre at the national level to find solutions to such diseases.

Stating that there is good scope for adding value to arecanut and market such products, Achar said not much efforts have been taken by the governments in this regard.

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