Import value of arecanut declines in three years

The import value of arecanut has decreased constantly in the past three financial years, according to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The imported value of arecanut was at $258.19 million in 2022-23, $147.99 million in 2023-24, and it was at $143.45 million in 2024-25, the Ministry said on Tuesday.

Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry told the Lok Sabha that the arecanut was imported mainly from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Oman, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

The Minister replied to an unstarred question by MP for Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Kota Srinivas Poojary.

The reply did not mention the quantity of arecanut imported from countries.

“…There seems to be no adverse impact of import on the prices of arecanut in domestic market,” the Minister said, referring to the average price of arecanut which stood in Sirsi (Karnataka) and Kozhikode (Kerala) markets during January-June of 2024 and 2025.

The average price in Kozhikode market stood at ₹31,916.67 a quintal in 2024 and ₹32,388.83 a quintal in 2025. In Sirsi market, the price was at ₹36,316.17 a quintal and at ₹37,856.67 a quintal in 2024 and 2025 respectively.