Farmer explores alternative uses of areca

Arecanut, one of the major horticultural crops in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi & Malnad is associated with beeda, paan masala, gutka and other religious uses. Though a few farmers have worked on alternative uses of arecanut, they are yet to become commercially viable.

With the proposal on gutka ban now hanging like a sword of Damocles over the arecanut growers, here is a farmer who has thought about the alternative uses of arecanut and has been using the value-added products from arecanut for his personal consumption.

O K Krishna Bhat, a 69-year old farmer and a native of Odiyoor near Kanyana has come out with an array of value-added products from arecanut. He has been using the value-added products on a daily basis and also has been sharing it among his neighbours and relatives. The value-added products developed by him has not been tested in the laboratory and he has not been selling it on a commercial basis.

From tea to sweets, biscuits to ice creams, he has made over ten to twelve value-added products with arecanut as a main ingredient.

At times the government is talking about banning gutka, this farmer has come out with an instant ‘gutka’ by mixing ingredients of cinnamon, betel, lime, ‘hippali,’ ‘jeshta madhura’ and cloves. It can be chewed like gutka which was available in the market, he says.

By mixing six per cent of arecanut powder, three per cent of roasted coffee seed and one per cent  of chikori, he has come out with a coffee powder from arecanut. By adding vanilla to arecanut powder, he has made tea powder which can be consumed as black tea or even with milk.

Just like powder that can be added to milk to get flavoured milk for kids, he has come out with a malt by adding arecanut powder, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, ragi powder and a colouring agent. The powder can be added to milk and consumed. Those with sweet tooth, there is a sweet made of arecanut powder, badam, groundnut and sugar.

As a home made medicine for common cold, he has come out with a powder made of arecanut powder, dried ginger, jeshta madhura, hippali, salt, pepper, garlic, onion and clove leaves.

Though Bhat is suffering from diabetes, he  says, diabetes is under control after consuming a powder using arecanut powder, hippali, neem, bilvapatre, neralesoppu and leaves of other medicinal plants as its ingredients. “This has to be tested in the laboratory to learn about the medicinal values ,” he says. 

“In 2013, the state government banned gutka, the main ingredient of which is arecanut following the Supreme Court direction. This prompted me to explore the alternative uses of arecanut.”

“Using arecanut as a main ingredient, I had prepared ice cream for the children at my house. I have also prepared biscuits for our consumption at home,” he says with a smile on his face.

“I have prepared all these value-added products for my household consumption. I do not sell it. Industrial exploitation of areca tannin will show a new direction for arecanut market in the country,” he feels.

Bhat also expressed his gratitude to Campco and Arecanut Research and Development Foundation (ARDF) for supporting him. He says farmers should not depend on a single crop for livelihood. There is a need for diversification of crops. Along with arecanut, he has been growing banana, rubber, cocoa, cashewnut and so on in his farm.