Mangaluru: Centre restricts import of roasted areca nut; CAMPCO welcomes move

Mangaluru: The Central Government has imposed restrictions on the import of roasted areca nut by revoking its classification as a free-to-import item under ITC (HS) Code 20081920, which earlier came under the category “Other Roasted Nuts and Seeds.”

CAMPCO president Kishore Kumar Kodgi welcomed the move, which is expected to benefit domestic growers.

As per the notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on April 2, roasted areca nut under ITC (HS) Codes 08028090 and 20081920 has now been reclassified from “free” to “prohibited” in import status.

This covers all types of processed areca nuts. A few months ago, the large-scale import of roasted areca nut caused a dip in market prices and weakened demand for lower-grade varieties like Patora.