Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi on arecanut development, announcing his personal visit to Karnataka with scientists to review the situation and formulate a development roadmap. He highlighted arecanut's importance as a commercial crop with cultural, medicinal, and veterinary uses. Addressing concerns from a WHO report, Chouhan said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research is studying the crop to clarify misconceptions. Scientific teams are tackling viral diseases affecting arecanut plants, and the government is considering compensation for farmers' losses. The meeting also discussed illegal imports, moisture issues, and price disparities between nut sizes. Chouhan assured timely resolution of these issues to protect farmers and the industry. Karnataka leads India’s arecanut production, contributing 10 lakh tonnes from 6.76 lakh hectares in 2023–24, with India producing about 14 lakh tonnes overall. The crop’s market value is estimated at ₹58,664 crore, supporting around six million people occupationally. The meeting included Union Ministers HD Kumaraswamy and Pralhad Joshi, MPs from arecanut regions, and senior officials from various ministries. (Updated 21 Aug 2025, 22:45 IST; source: link)