ICAR asked to expedite research on whether arecanut is carcinogenic or not

Union Agriculture Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan has asked the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) to expedite the research on whether arecanut is carcinogenic or not. The research team has been asked to submit a report within a time frame.

The Minister, who held a meeting with Union Ministers from Karnataka and representatives from arecanut-growing regions in the State, said that the ICAR had been asked to conduct the research in the light of the World Health Organisation’s statement that said that the arecanut was carcinogenic, which had caused confusion.

A release said that the Minister observed that Indians had been consuming arecanut since time immemorial, and it was used in every auspicious occasion in the country.

Referring to problems being faced by areca farmers, he said a disease like “areolate mildew”, which destroyed areca trees, was being addressed by scientific teams. The availability of clean planting material was also discussed, the release said.

The press note said that the Union Agriculture Minister informed that the government was seriously considering appropriate compensation to farmers for the heavy losses caused by viral infections.

Issues such as illegal imports of arecanut, moisture problems, and price differentials between small and large nuts were also extensively discussed, it added.

He promised that all issues would be resolved in a time-bound manner and that the interests of farmers and the arecanut industry would be fully protected.