Arecanut marketing body urges Karnataka govt to compensate farmers impacted by fruit rot disease

A majority of the farmers in Karnataka’s arecanut growing regions have reported yield loss to the tune of around 40-50% because of the disease.
| Photo Credit:
MUSTAFAH KK

The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (Campco) Ltd has asked the Karnataka government to declare compensation to the arecanut growers affected by fruit rot disease in their plantations in the state.

Urging the Karnataka government to conduct a crop damage survey and provide compensation to the affected farmers, A Kishore Kumar Kodgi, Campco President, said the continuous and excessive rainfall has destroyed the developing arecanut crop in major growing areas of the state. Further crop loss is inevitable, if the present weather conditions persist, he said.

In a letter to the Government, Kodgi said the arecanut-growing districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagaluru have witnessed monsoon rainfall well above the seasonal average. Despite farmers spraying fungicides multiple times, the persistent rain has triggered a widespread outbreak of fruit rot disease (koley roga in Kannada) destroying nearly half of the arecanut crop. Farmers are making desperate efforts to save the remaining yield, but the results have been largely ineffective. Disheartened by mounting losses, they are now looking to the Government for support, he said.

Kodgi suggested that the State government initiate a scientific survey through the departments concerned to assess crop damage, and provide timely compensation for the economic loss incurred by farmers. The Government should issue necessary relief measures to safeguard the livelihoods of growers during this critical period, he added.

Mahesh Puchhappady, President of All-India Areca Growers’ Association, told businessline that he has been getting feedback from farmers in various parts of the state on the outbreak of the disease. A majority of the farmers in Karnataka’s arecanut growing regions have reported yield loss to the tune of around 40-50 per cent because of the disease, he said.

Monsoon rainfall, which began in the middle of May, continued till July end in a majority of arecanut-growing regions in Karnataka, he added.

Fruit rot

Fruit rot disease in arecanut plantations is characterised by rotting and heavy shedding of immature nuts. Continuous heavy rainfall with intermittent sunshine, low temperatures and high humidity lead to the spread of the disease.

Usually during monsoon months, the atmospheric temperature will be low and the relative humidity will be high. These factors result in increased incidence of fruit rot disease in arecanut.

Farm scientists recommend spraying of 1 per cent of Bordeaux mixture on the arecanut inflorescences to control this disease. Bordeaux, which is a fungicide used in arecanut plantations, is a mixture of copper sulphate and calcium oxide in water.

Major producer

In a recent reply in Rajya Sabha, the Central government said that Karnataka is the largest producer of arecanut in the country. As per estimates of 2023-24, Karnataka’s arecanut production was at 10.32 lakh tonnes from an area of 6.77 lakh hectares. The government informed Rajya Sabha that Karnataka constitutes 73 per cent of total arecanut production and 71 per cent of total area under arecanut in the country.

More Like This

Published on August 7, 2025

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}