Kamal Ghorui
Arecanut is a plant mainly growing in South Asia and extends a bit towards east Asia. Largely the fruit of A. Catechu is preferred for chewing due to its nicotinic property and nervous excitation and naturally this has been linked to having carcinogenic properties by the World Health Organization (WHO). As per estimates, arecanut is consumed by 10-20% of the world’s population, making it the fourth largest addictive substance being consumed after nicotine, alcohol and caffeine. At present, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has placed arecanut under Group I carcinogen towards humans, while arecoline which is a constituent of arecanut is classified under Group II B. This has caused significant concerns among arecanut growers in Karnataka and also the supply chain industry depending on the same for livelihood.
While IARC and World Health Organization (WHO) have arrived at the carcinogenic classification making arecanut the bad boy from India’s predominant coastal belt, the alternative benefits of arecanut have not been widely discussed and even less promoted by WHO and its outfits thus failing in their quest for effective policy solutions. The relevance of WHO remains increasingly questionable in its current form, and the exit of the United States of America as a WHO Member state under President Trump has exposed the faultlines of WHO. WHO has gone soft for decades by not aggressively objecting to smoking zones at airports, by not building a counter to the alcohol and smoking business and by not comprehensively dealing with carcinogens emerging from every possible corner including the environment at large. Arecanut becomes a weak target in the midst of exceptionally bigger carcinogenic possibilities, besides arecanut provides for alternative benefits of sustainable economic value, which ought to have been considered.
Arecanut has a long history of utility in traditional Chinese medicines, ayurveda and also bioactive extracts are finding relevance in functional foods, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and even animal husbandry which promotes immunity, growth and replaces antibiotic dependency as evidenced by growing body of emerging research. The use of arecanut stretches further towards carrying deworming effects, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and wound healing applications, besides having anti-oxidant and analgesic properties. Arecanut extracts (alcoholic/aqueous from husk or nut) exhibit activity against oral pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and fungi. Further, arecanut potential extends towards antidepressant activity, blood sugar and lipid regulation, gastrointestinal support and anti-fatigue indicators. Arecoline and related alkaloids are further studied for cognitive enhancement in conditions like schizophrenia or Alzheimer’s while regulating dosage controls to prevent toxicity.
Besides mainstream medicine & healthcare, arecanut properties find value in agricultural and waste utilization in mushroom cultivation wherein the husk serves as a substrate for species like oyster mushrooms and also husk properties used for soil enhancement and crop yield improvement yielding biochar and organic manure. While the benefits of arecanut are plentiful, recent years in Karnataka state of India & other states have seen the plant itself getting affected by fruit rot disease and growers in arecanut plantations have complained of over 50% crop loss demanding compensation and support. This is further compounded by extreme weather events and intermittent rainfalls in the middle of pest control season and much more.
Arecanut by-products like husk fibre are rich in lignocellulose, making them excellent for sustainable materials as alternatives to synthetic fibers or plastics which can be used in non-woven fabrics and textiles, can be used as reinforcement in biodegradable polymer composites, compressed earth blocks, chemically pulped for paper with good tensile strengthen and also for biogas, wastewater treatment, citric acid production and the leaf sheath can be used in making of plates, cups, cutlery, trays, caps, hats, garden scoops and high quality firewood. From a one-acre betel nut plantation, approximately 600-700 kg of dry husk are obtained. Betel nut is cultivated in over more than 12.75 lakh acres in Karnataka state producing over 8.9 lakh tonnes of husk. The economic potential of this product is exceptionally high let alone the fruit per se which has sustainable value since historic times. Given this massive at scale potential, WHO classification of arecanut as a carcinogen has limited relevance and there is absolutely no need for the arecanut growing industry, farmers unions, private and government stakeholders to be perturbed about.
With a wide variety of use cutting across industries, giving bad press to arecanut dents the morale of arecanut growers and also the industry thriving on it. The Karnataka Government and the Indian Government have a magnificent opportunity to diversify farmers income amidst traditional markets, re-purposing the value of arecanut into agro-waste, supporting green economies and much more. Arecanut by far remains an important cash crop in the western ghats, malnad region and Karnataka leads the production towards the same.
Collective government and private sector efforts will ought to focus on increasing the crop yield and scaling up the arecanut market space wherein alternative benefits may be promoted and also the discouragement extended towards chewing of areca ingredients in the light of the discovery from the IARC. However, a blanket labelling without providing alternatives stands in poor taste and exhibits pro -poor leadership capacities at World offices meant to safeguard health and at the same time protect the commercial and environmental determinants of health. Creating an ecosystem of alternative pathways remain essential towards sustainable growth and policies that carry visionary value.
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