Mangalore: Tamilselvan, Director of Areca and spices in Calicut (Kozhikode) inaugurated a seminar on Choice of Fertilizers in areca farms organised by Campco Wednesday in Mangalore city, and spoke on the occasion to say Areca as not injurious to health but public is different as areca is used in Gutkhas.

This faulty opinion is hitting areca business hard. In Gutkha, what is harmful is tobacco, he asserted.

With a ban on Gutkha, areca-growers are suffering for no fault of their own. He called for a comprehensive study to develop on alternate use of areca for commerce and export. He asked farmers to adopt a multi-crop system to avoid financial risk caused by marketing, and pests. Such as rotting disease.

Farmers deserve at least the retail market price from private parties who deny them a fair price. Increasing productivity, using better techniques was the way out.

Karnataka produces almost half the total produce of areca in the country. Proper use of good fertilisers raises productivity, he urged. Konkodi Padmanabha presided.