For Nivedan Nempe, a young entrepreneur from Shivamogga district of Karnataka, arecanut is not just a produce to consume. First he made people ‘drink’ arecanut as a beverage with the product ‘Areca Tea’ in 2016. Now, he is in the process of introducing shampoo made out of the extracts of arecanut.

The founder of Nivedan Nempe Laboratories told BusinessLine that there is a constant threat for arecanut farmers in the form of ban on ‘gutkha’ and other products where arecanut is an ingredient.

“Keeping this point in mind we started working on a product that can be used by mass. Since I have studied pharmaceutical science, I started working on shampoo to develop formulations,” he said, adding ‘Pro-Areca’, a hair and body shampoo, is a product of this research.

Stating that he wanted a product that can reach every segment of society, Nempe said: “My intention is that the product should reach a customer within a price range of ₹2. You should get quality material at ₹2.”

‘Pro-Areca’ has arecanut extracts such as galic acid and tannin. He said galic acid has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that help in removal of hair debris and helps in new hair growth, and tannin present in arecanut helps in glowing of skin.

Each 10 ml of ‘Pro-Areca’ contains 25 mg extract of arecanut.

Nempe has been conducting research and development on this since the last six-eight months. Though his team had a sample run for the product a few months ago, the Covid pandemic affected their launch plans. He said he has got good feedback to the sample run.

A production unit has been set up in Bengaluru for the mass production of ‘Pro-Areca’. “We have thought of a product of a price range of ₹2, so that it should have good market movement. We are planning to launch this product in the market by the end of December. Our ‘Pro-Areca’ should be available in every shop by early next year,” he said.

Mahesh Puchhappady, General Secretary of All-India Areca Growers Association, said there is a need to look at the value-addition to arecanut. Nempe has proved that with his ‘Areca Tea’. His new product has created a ray of hope for arecanut growers on the future of the crop, he said.

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