Leading a delegation of arecanut growers, Campco President S R Satishchandra met Radha Mohan Singh Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in Delhi renewing the demand for raising minimum tariff value of Arecanut from Rs 162 to the cost of cultivation.
Earlier, he had written a letter thanking Mr Singh as well as demanding curtailment of arecanut import which has led to the virtual collapse of the rate of arecanut. Chandra wrote “We are grateful to your good-self and appreciate your approach of having the welfare of Arcanut Farmers uppermost in your mind”.
Campco President also said that CPCRI Kasaragod along with the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development, Kozhikode and Scientists and Agricultural University Professors worked out the cost of cultivation and arrived at a figure of Rs 337 for red variety and Rs 250 for white variety Arecanut per Kilogram and have already submitted the Report to the Central Ministry.
Based on the report, it would be prudent to revise Minimum Tariff value from Rs.162/- to the present Cost of cultivation which will boost the Arecanut Price to improve the domestic Market offering a much needed relief to Arecanut Farmers, Campco President said.
In the year 2012 when minimum tariff value was revised from Rs 32 to Rs 75 the domestic market rose to Rs 130-150 from Rs 75 and during the period the cost of cultivation was at Rs 68. Again in the year 2013, minimum tariff value was revised to Rs 110/- and the domestic market reached up to Rs 200-220 per kg.
Once again based on the cost of cultivation in the year 2015 it was revised to Rs 162/. Immediately, the market went up to Rs 300-330 per kg. During the period the Cost of Cultivation was at Rs 178/-.
This clearly indicates that the revision in Minimum Tariff value for import leads to stabilization of Price in the domestic Market.
“Hence, in the best interest of Areca Growers, we request your goodself to revise Minimum Tariff Value from Rs.162/- to the present Cost of cultivation i.e. above Rs.250/- and also impress upon DGFT to issue the necessary orders”, says Mr Satishchandra in a missive sent to the Minister.