Cultivation of Arecanut in India: Growing Supari for Maximum Profit

Table of Contents

• What is Arecanut?
• What is the Status of Arecanut Cultivation in India?
• What are the Different Varieties of Arecanut in India?
• What are the Steps involved in Arecanut Cultivation?
  • Soil & Climate
  • Planting Season
  • Raising Seedlings
  • Selecting Seedlings
  • Planting
  • Applying Fertilizers
  • Irrigation
  • Cultural Operations
  • Plant Protection
  • Harvesting
• What are the Top Arecanut Producing States in India?

What is Arecanut?

Arecanut (Areca catechu) is an important commercial plantation crop in India. It is a perennial plant that belongs to the Arecaceae (Palm) family. This tropical crop is popularly called supari or betel nuts across the country. It is widely used in social and religious ceremonies. However, its most common use is for masticatory purposes like pan masala. Most of the arecanuts are cultivated in the western coastal region of India. This perennial, evergreen crop is monoecious, which means it has both female and male flowers on the same stem. Some of the main countries that are growing arecanuts are India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and China.

What is the Status of Arecanut Cultivation in India?

India is the leading producer of arecanut globally, accounting for around 50% of the total production. In 2021-22, the annual production was 14 lakh tonnes cultivated on an area of around 7.7 lakh hectares. The yield level in this period was 1.8 tonnes/ha. As per the final estimate for 2022-23, the total production of arecanut is 13.69 lakh tonnes. Also, 10,636.87 MT of arecanuts and betelnuts valued at INR 400.13 crores have been exported to other countries in 2023-24. The leading countries that imported arecanuts from India were Malaysia, Nepal, Bhutan, Vietnam, and the UAE.

What are the Different Varieties of Arecanut in India?

Indian farmers grow several local varieties of arecanut, including Goa Local (Goa), Shreewardhan (Maharashtra), Nalbari (Assam) and Thirthahalli Local (Karnataka). Some of the popular varieties of arecanut are:

What are the Steps involved in Arecanut Cultivation?

Soil & Climate

Arecanut grows best at an altitude of up to 1000 meters in deep, well-drained soil with low water table. It can grow in a variety of soils. Laterite, red loam, and alluvial soil are also best suited. However, sticky, clay and brackish soils are unsuitable for cultivation. Arecanut demands adequate evenly distributed rainfall. It can grow in places with annual rainfall ranging from 750 to 4,500 mm and requires a temperature ranging from 14 to 36°C.

Planting Season

Planting arecanuts in well-drained soils between May and June is recommended. If the soil is clayey and there is a risk of heavy rainfall and waterlogging, the planting can be shifted between August and September. The crop needs to be protected from the scorching heat with the help of quick-growing shade trees.

Raising Seedlings

Mother palm should have a good fruit set and early bearing nature. Also, its age should be over 10 years. Select nuts from the mother palm that are fully ripe and weigh over 35 gm. These selected nuts are sown in 1.5 m wide sand beds at a distance of 5 cm. The stalk ends have to point upwards. Daily watering is to be done on these beds.

When the sprouts grow 3 months old, they can be taken to secondary nursery beds for transplantation. These sprouts are planted in a 1.5 m wide nursery bed at a spacing of 30 x 30 cm. Proper irrigation, partial shade, weeding, and mulching must maintained periodically. Secondary nursery can also be raised in 25 x 15 cm polythene bags with topsoil, farmyard manure (FYM) and sand in a ratio of 7:3:2.

Selecting Seedlings

Seedlings that are 1 – 1.5 years old and have over five leaves are ideal for transplanting to the field. Also, seedlings with minimum height are preferred for the main field.

Planting

A spacing of 2.7m x 2.7m is suitable for planting arecanut. If it is to be planted with other crops, a 3.3 m x 3.3 m is recommended. In well-drained and deep soil, the pit size should be 90 cm x 90 cm x 90cm. A 60 x 60 x 60 cm pit is preferred for heavy soils. Topsoil, farmyard manure and sand are filled in the pit up to a height of 50 cm. At the centre of the pit, the seedling is planted, and its collar region is covered with soil.

Applying Fertilizers

100g N: 40g P₂O ₅: 140g K₂O is the recommended fertilizer dose for each palm annually. It is to be supplemented with 12 kg of farmyard manure/compost and 12 kg of green leaf. Only one-third of the recommended dose is required for seedlings in the 1^st year. It can be increased to two-thirds and full dose in the 2^nd and 3^rd year, respectively. 1/3^rd recommended dose in April - May is suitable for rainfed areas, while it can be applied in February for irrigated conditions.

Irrigation

From November to February, irrigation needs to be practised weekly. For March-May, it should be done once in four days. Every day, 175 litres of water is needed per palm. 16 to 20 litres is enough in the case of drip irrigation. During the rainy season, 75 – 100 cm deep drainage channels are required for suitable drainage.

Cultural Operations

Light digging should be done from October to November to loosen the soil. Spade digging is used for weeding twice or thrice a year. Soil erosion can be prevented in undulated fields via terracing. The ideal crops for mixed cropping are cocoa, pepper and banana. Suitable cover crops are Pueraria javanica, Calapogonium muconoides and Stylosanthes gracilis.

Plant Protection

Arecanuts have to be protected against a wide range of pests and diseases. Pests like mites, spindle bugs and inflorescence caterpillars can harm the crop. Mites can be managed by spraying Dicofol @ 2 ml per litre of water on the affected areas. Dimethoate can be sprayed @ 15 ml per 10 litres of water in infested areas to control spindle bugs. Open affected spadices and remove and burn the inflorescence if there are damaged female flowers.

Diseases like bud rot, foot rot, and yellow leaf disease are major issues in arecanut production. In bud rot, infected bud tissues can be removed, and 10 % Bordeaux paste can be applied to treat the disease. If there is foot rot, isolation of affected palms is required. If the impact is severe, cut and destroy the palms completely. Apply 0.3% Calixin (3 ml) at the root zones of affected palms @ 15 – 20 l/palm to control foot rot. In every quarter, root feeding needs to be done with 1.5 % Calixin (15 ml/l at 125 ml per palm. Yellow leaf disease can be managed by applying balanced nutrients with suitable amounts of superphosphate.

Harvesting

After five years of planting, bearing is observed. When the nuts become three-quarters ripe, they are ready to be harvested. Harvesting can be done 3 to 5 times annually based on the place of cultivation and season. The average yield obtained is 1250 kg per hectare. The harvested nuts are dried in the sun for around 45 days. Uniform drying needs to be ensured by spreading the arecanuts in a single layer and turning them weekly. It prevents fungal infections and provides better-quality nuts.

What are the Top Arecanut Producing States in India?

Cultivation of arecanuts is a lucrative business opportunity for Indian farmers to earn more income. Profitability can be increased by intercropping them with crops like banana, pepper and cocoa. These nuts have a huge demand globally and thus have excellent export potential. Use the step-by-step guide mentioned in this blog to grow arecanuts successfully and increase your profits.