Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta has highlighted the plight of arecanut growers affected by the yellow disease in Dakshina Kannada.

He brought the distress of arecanut farmers to the attention of the House, citing the spread of yellow disease and sought remedial measures to address the issue.

He stated that India is the largest producer and consumer of arecanut in the world, and the crop also holds cultural significance.

DK, with a gross cropped area of 1.7 lakh ha, has arecanut as its major crop, covering 84,157ha-almost 50% of the cropped area.

However, the yellow leaf disease, caused by phytoplasma and spread through plant hoppers, poses a serious challenge. The high incidence and intensity of the disease's spread have caused massive crop loss to farmers. Campco reported that over 16,000ha of areca plantations had been destroyed due to the yellow disease, affecting 6,000 of their farmers.

This situation can be addressed with a one-time compensation and funding for the setting up of a research centre dedicated to developing disease-resistant varieties of areca, as well as controlling the spread. Collective action and commitment are necessary to address the concerns that loom over the future of arecanut cultivation, he said.

Source - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com