Both the number of cases of seizures of illicit import of arecanut and the quantity seized have gone up significantly in recent years, if the answers provided by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the Rajya Sabha are any indication.

In a written reply to a query on the illicit import of arecanuts into the country in the Upper House on Friday, Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, said the Customs field formations and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 12,881.82 tonnes of arecanut in 643 cases during 2023-24 against 3,400.30 tonnes in 454 cases in 2022-23.

The quantity of seizures stood at 3,009.04 tonnes in 84 cases during the first three months of 2024-25.

Maintaining vigil

The Minister said the Customs field formations and DRI as well as State Commercial Tax departments keep constant vigil for illicit transportation of arecanuts into India through air/sea and land ports and take appropriate actions as per the provisions of law to prevent imports through adoption of various deceptive methods.

Giving details on seizure of arecanuts effected through airports and air cargo, he said 10,000 kg of arecanuts worth ₹0.47 crore were seized in three cases till June of 2024-25. These figures stood at 15,296 kg worth ₹0.52 crore in four cases during 2021-22, and 14,188 kg worth ₹0.56 crore in 12 cases during 2022-23. The quantity of seizure was at 2,166 kg worth ₹0.11 crore in three cases during 2023-24.

On the measures taken by the Government to restrict the illegal import of arecanut, he said the import of arecanut is discouraged by imposing import duty at 100 per cent, which is the bound rate of duty.

The Government has also revised the minimum import price (MIP) of arecanuts from ₹251 a kg to ₹351 a kg. There are stringent adherence of quality standards by field offices of Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) before clearing the import consignments, he said.

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