Maharashtra CM assures arecanut traders of releasing trucks from Karnataka seized by FDA

A delegation of arecanut growers and traders led by Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi and Shivamogga MP B.Y. Raghavendra met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in New Delhi on July 7, and appealed to him to secure the release of trucks carrying arecanut stopped by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Maharashtra.

Mr. Fadnavis assured the delegation that the trucks being held in Maharashtra would be released soon, and that necessary measures would be taken to ensure the smooth movement of arecanut trucks in the future.

Mr. Raghavendra said he took a delegation of arecanut growers to Mr. Joshi, and requested the Union Minister to intervene in the matter and facilitate the release of the vehicles. Mr. Joshi met Mr. Fadnavis, along with representatives of the delegation and explained to the Chief Minister the problems faced by growers in Karnataka. The Chief Minister responded positively to the plea. Mr. Joshi and Mr. Raghavendra thanked the Maharashtra CM for agreeing to ensure the release of the trucks.

In June, more than 50 trucks carrying arecanut from Karnataka were stopped by FDA officials. Growers and traders alleged that officials had misconstrued the traditional use of chogaru — a natural coating applied during the processing of areca — as a chemical additive, and had wrongly classified mechanically dehusked areca as sub-standard.

The delegation included Tirthahalli MLA and Task Force chairperson Araga Jnanendra, Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Chikkamagaluru–Udupi MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, and representatives of the Malnad Areca Marketing Co-operative Society Limited (MAMCOS), the Central Areca and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative Limited (CAMPCO), the Tota Utpanna Maratha Sahakara Sangha Niyamita (TUMCOS), and the Karnataka State Areca Marketing Co-operative Societies’ Federation.