Former Minister and Legislator Araga Jnanedra, a delegation consisting of Members of Parliament B.Y. Raghavendra, Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Vishweswara Hegade Kageri, and office bearers of Campco Ltd., with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A delegation of elected representatives and areca growers from Karnataka met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Friday and appealed to him to stop the illegal import of arecanut, which is affecting native growers.
The delegation, which included Members of Parliament B.Y. Raghavendra, Kota Srinivasa Poojary, and Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative Limited (Campco) chairperson Satish Chandra, and legislator Araga Jnanendra, met Mr. Shah and submitted a memorandum.
The delegation told the Union Minister that areca growers were already facing several problems caused by diseases affecting the yield and a rise in cultivation costs, and that illegal imports would cause them further hardship.
They drew the Union Minister’s attention to the illegal movement of foreign-origin arecanut through vulnerable land borders and ports, and to the possible misuse of import classification and trade documentation. They sought stricter vigilance and scrutiny of consignments declared as roasted nuts and seeds. The delegation also urged the Union Minister to strictly enforce the minimum import price (MIP) of ₹351 a kilogram for arecanut.
They appealed to the Union Minister for a coordinated effort involving the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs to strengthen surveillance at vulnerable entry points and prevent the illegal import of arecanut.
Published – August 07, 2026 07:51 pm IST
