The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (Campco) has urged the government to commission detailed scientific research to validate the safety and potential anti-carcinogenic properties of arecanut in its original form. It has also requested the allocation of necessary funds in the upcoming Budget to support this research.

In a letter to the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, the Campco President, A Kishore Kumar Kodgi, said the livelihoods of lakhs of Indian farmers depend on arecanut cultivation. With India cultivating arecanut on approximately 9.55 lakh hectares and producing around l7-18 lakh tonnes annually, the sector’s economic and cultural significance is immense. He said Campco itself has contributed significantly to the nation’s economy, remitting over ₹650 crore in GST since the implementation of this taxation system.

Stating that the World Health Organization’s classification of arecanut as carcinogenic has caused significant distress among arecanut farmers, he said this classification is largely based on studies involving harmful mixtures such as gutkha and betel quid, which include additives such as tobacco, rather than arecanut in its natural form.

To counter this, Campco’s letter presented evidence from multiple international and national research studies that suggest arecanut may possess anti-carcinogenic properties and other health benefits.

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Stressing research by prestigious institutions such as Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), independently or collaboratively, Kodgi said the cooperative recently consulted Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist at WHO, who supported the idea of revisiting the WHO’s classification and exploring the potential health benefits of arecanut.

He said Campco’s appeal to the government seeks to ensure a fair scientific assessment of arecanut’s properties in its original form and to safeguard the livelihood of farmers. “We are optimistic that the government will prioritise funding for research in this area. This initiative is of importance not just for the agricultural community but also for advancing scientific knowledge about arecanut,” Kodgi added.

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