Lockdown, closed borders up prices of areca nut

The closure of Nepal and Bangladesh borders during lockdown coupled with the increase in demand for areca nut in North India, helped the procurement price of Chali variety of areca nut (white areca nut) shoot up by Rs 50 per kg and reach Rs 300 per kg, surpassing all the prices that existed in previous years.

The price jumped from Rs 250 per kg to Rs 300 per kg in a gap of a few weeks during the lockdown, Campco (Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operatives Ltd) President S R Satishchandra told reporters during meet the press, organised by DK Working Journalists’ Association at Patrika Bhavan on Tuesday.

By procuring the areca nut during the lockdown and by adhering to the guidelines of the government, the Campco was able to bring stability in the areca nut market. The areca nut consignment has been transported to Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat—the main consumer markets.

Campco Managing Director Suresh Bhandary said that Campco started procuring the fresh arrivals of areca nut at Rs 250 per kg from April 13. When the demand increased in North India, the prices shot up. The price of old areca nut stocks has been increased to Rs 320 per kg from Rs 275 a kg.

To ensure that cocoa beans do not get wasted during the lockdown period, the farmers were taught to dry the beans using social media. Hence, the wastage of cocoa beans was prevented, said the president.

During the lockdown period, Campco also procured 8,000 quintals of cocoa beans from the farmers.

When Campco started procuring wet beans on April 9, the price was Rs 58 per kg for wet beans and Rs 175 per kg for dry beans. Now, the price has stabilised at Rs 50 per kg for wet beans.

Bhandary said once the import of area nut resumes, then it would be difficult to maintain the price of area nut at this rate.

Retail pack

Bhandary said that premium assorted gift boxes of chocolates of Campco—Milk Marvel, Dietier, dark chocolate and white chocolate were now available in retail packs. There was a demand to be sold in retail packs instead of gift boxes.

Sathishchandra said that Campco had made arrangements to supply copper sulphate to farmers at a subsidised rate without compromising on the quality.

To protect areca nuts from fruit rot disease, spraying of copper sulphate fluid on arecanut bunches should be taken up.