MP Chowta urges Centre to tackle arecanut disease crisis

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta has urged Union minister for agriculture and farmers welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan to initiate urgent measures to address the growing threat posed by arecanut Leaf Spot Disease (LSD) and Yellow Leaf Disease (YLD), which continue to affect thousands of arecanut farmers across coastal Karnataka and the Malnad region.

In representations submitted to the Union minister, Capt Chowta highlighted the serious economic and agrarian challenges arising from the spread of both diseases, which have adversely impacted arecanut plantations in Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and other arecanut-growing regions of Karnataka.

Drawing attention to the widespread outbreak of Leaf Spot Disease, he noted that the disease has caused extensive damage to plantations and has become a major concern for lakhs of farmers dependent on arecanut cultivation. While scientific management protocols developed by ICAR–Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) have provided a roadmap for disease management, implementation at the field level continues to face financial constraints.

Capt Chowta pointed out that the central govt had earlier sanctioned Rs 225 crore under a 60:40 funding formula based on a detailed project report prepared by experts. However, the assistance could not be effectively utilised due to expenditure ceilings prescribed under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), which do not adequately reflect the actual cost of disease management recommended by CPCRI.

He has therefore requested the Union govt to provide a specific exemption from existing MIDH expenditure limits for Leaf Spot Disease management and align financial assistance with the actual scientific cost of treatment.

The MP also raised the issue of Yellow Leaf Disease, a long-standing phytoplasma-associated disease affecting nearly 16,000 hectares of arecanut plantations, particularly in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada and parts of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts. He noted that the disease causes progressive decline in palm health and productivity, severely affecting farm incomes.

Observing that no curative treatment currently exists for Yellow Leaf Disease, he stressed the importance of supporting the management protocols developed by ICAR-CPCRI. He welcomed the scientific advances achieved by the institute, including the establishment of a modern diagnostic laboratory at Vittal and successful tissue-culture multiplication of YLD-tolerant elite palms.

The MP noted that large-scale adoption of these technologies, along with high-tech irrigation systems and balanced nutrient management practices, would require substantial institutional and financial support. He therefore urged the Union govt to formulate a comprehensive support package to assist affected farmers and facilitate wider implementation of proven management strategies.

Given the significance of arecanut cultivation to the economy of coastal Karnataka, Capt Chowta has invited the Union agriculture minister to visit Mangaluru and meet scientists, agricultural experts, and affected farmers to gain a first-hand understanding of the challenges on the ground.