Shivamogga: In a major relief for the arecanut industry in Karnataka, the Maharashtra govt has agreed to halt the interception of arecanut transport trucks crossing through the state.The decision followed a high-level meeting held in New Delhi at the official residence of Union minister Pralhad Joshi, attended by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and stakeholders from Karnataka’s arecanut sector.Araga Jnanendra, former home minister of Karnataka and president of the Karnataka State Areca Cooperative Societies Federation, shared details during a press meet Wednesday.For the past few weeks, Maharashtra authorities had been detaining arecanut trucks arriving from Karnataka and holding them up for inspection for days or weeks. The aggressive checking triggered panic among transport companies, many of which began refusing to carry the commodity. As a result, thousands of tons of arecanut remained unsold in Karnataka markets, causing anxiety among farmers and traders.Jnanendra, also MLA of Thirthahalli Assembly segment, said stable arecanut prices over the last few years had revived rural economies across nearly 10 districts in Karnataka, improving living standards, housing and education. He added that the transport disruptions were threatening this livelihoods framework.To resolve the issue, a special meeting was coordinated by the Federation. Delegates presented Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis with data on the scale of arecanut cultivation, the number of farmers dependent on it, the GST revenue generated by the industry, and losses caused by transport delays.The federation highlighted that most detained trucks were not meant for Maharashtra markets but were transiting to destinations in North India, including New Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Stopping such vehicles was unjustified, Jnanendra said.Responding to the concerns, Fadnavis said explicit instructions had been issued not to intercept or delay arecanut trucks that are not bound for Maharashtra markets or unloading in the state.The meeting also addressed trucks currently stranded or facing legal hurdles. For vehicles with FIRs registered and cases in court, Maharashtra officials have been directed to cooperate legally for their swift release.To prevent further issues, the Maharashtra govt has designated senior IAS officer Lokesh Chandra as the point of contact for farmers and traders facing transport problems.The meeting was attended by members of Parliament BY Raghavendra, Capt Brijesh Chowta and Kota Srinivas Poojary; Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik; Mamcos vice president Mahesh HS and managing director Shrikanth Horavane; Campco vice president Padmaraj and managing director BV Satyanarayana; and Channagiri Tumcos president Shivakumar HS, among other cooperative leaders, Araga informed.
