The Union Ministry of Agriculture has constituted an expert committee to study and suggest remedies to the yellow leaf disease in arecanut crops.
The committee has seven members - Anita Karun, Director, Indian Council of Agriculture Science - Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasargod; Honey Cherian, Director, Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), Kozhikode; Femina, Deputy Director, DASD, Kozhikode; Ravi Bhat, Acting Head, Division of Crop Production, ICAR, CPCRI, Kasargod; M Wali, Director of Research, University of Agriculture, Shivamogga, H R Naik, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Dakshina Kannada; Vinayaka Hedge, Acting Head, Division of Crop Protection, ICAR, CPCRI, Kasargod.
“The committee may convene a meeting and develop strategies to address the issue of yellow leaf disease of arecanut,” said the government order.
Earlier this week, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje held a meeting with officials of and suggested immediate scientific study of the disease.
Recently, a delegation comprising BJP leaders from Malnad region led by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and requested him to depute a team of scientists to study the disease and suggest remedial measures.
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