This document discusses the arecanut (betel nut) crop. It provides details on: 1) India is the largest producer of arecanuts, with major cultivating states being Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya and West Bengal. 2) Traditionally, arecanuts were harvested by trained climbers, but mechanized harvesters are now used which do not require expertise and allow women and youth to participate. 3) After harvesting, the nuts undergo various processing steps to produce different products like raw nuts, dried nuts (chali/kottapak), and flavored nuts (scented supari). Sundrying and mechanical drying are common methods used.

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2. Important high value commercial crop.
India is the largest producer followed by China
& Myanmar.
Major states cultivating : Karnataka(45%),
Kerala(25%), Assam(20%), Tamil Nadu,
Meghalaya & West Bengal.
In Karnataka – coastal region and malnad
area.
Commercial part is the fruit called “betel nut”
Traditionally used as masticator. 2

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4. For Chali :
• Ripe nuts are harvested for Chali.
• Nuts take a period of 9-10 months from blooming
to maturity.
• Harvesting is done when green nuts turn orange
yellow and husk become soft.
For Kalipak:
• Tender nuts of 6-7 months old are harvested.
• Husk will be dark green in colour.
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5. TRADITIONAL MECHANISED
 Using arecanut tree
climber.
 Using arecanut
harvester come
sprayer.
By trained monkeys
By an expert climber.
Using a long bamboo
provided with a
sickle at the top end.
Jumps from one
palm to an adjacent
palm.
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6. Traditional Mechanised
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7. Traditional harvesting v
• Requires expertise and
masculine power.
• Dependency on expert
climbers , their
unavailability during
harvesting season and
difficulty in sourcing.
• High wages.
• Dangerous & risky.
• This is mostly male
oriented.
/s Mechanised harvesting
• Doesn't require expertise.
• No dependency on expert
climbers, the farmer
himself can operate &
harvest at right stage.
• High initial cost but
reasonable
• Not so risky.
• Even women & youth can
perform harvesting.
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9. 1. SEPERATION OF NUTS FROM BUNCH
Done by beating the bunch against stone or
wooden piece or any hard object or using bunch
beater.
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10. Various processed products
Raw
Bura tamul & Neettadaka
Chali/ Kottapak
Kalipak
Scented supari
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11. Splitting Scooping
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12. Fully ripe arecanut, preserved for use throughout
the year.
In Assam, fresh fruits are preserved in thick layers
of mud. This product is called Bura-tamul.
In Kerala, fresh fruits are stored by steeping in
water, resulting in discoloration of outer husk and
foul smell due to bacterial attack but inner core is
well preserved. This is called Neettadaka.
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13. (Also known as Kottapaka/White
supari/dried whole nut)
1. DRYING : a.Sun drying
b.Mechanical driers
2. TURNING
3. STORAGE
4. DEHUSKING: a.Traditional
b.Mechanical
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14. a) Sundrying:
 Whole nuts are spreaded uniformly in a single
layer to ensure uniform drying.
 Dried for 40-45 days to reach a moisture content of
12%.
 To facilitate drying and dehusking, sometimes the
fruits are cut longitudinally into two halves and
sundried for 10 days. The kernels are scooped &
given a final drying which is called Parcha.
 There are 2 ways of sun drying.
i. Under direct sunlight.
ii. Under protected structure.
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15. Sundrying under direct sunlight 15

16. Drying under protected structure
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17. Mechanical drier
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It takes 60-70
hours over a
period of 7-8
days at 45-75
degree Celcius.

18. TURNING
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19. STORAGE
• Storage is done by filling the dried nuts inside
polythene covers in the gunny bags.
• Stored in dry rooms.
• Stored nuts fetch higher value.
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20. TRADITIONAL
• Using sickle fixed to an
wooden seat.
• Tedious and time
consuming.
• Low efficiency.
• High wages.
• Unavailability of labour at
the time of emergency.
MECHANICAL
• Using arecanut dehusker
machine.
• Less time consuming.
• High efficiency.
• High initial cost.
• No such issues.
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21. Traditional dehusking
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23. (Also known as Red Supari)
1. Dehusking/ Peeling
2. Cut into pieces
3. Boiling
4. Repeated boiling / Kali coating
5. Drying
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24. Boiling and kali coating
• Kali is obtained by boiling 3-4 batches of
arecanut pieces in the same batch of water at
high temperature, the extractant so obtained
is concentrated to make a thick kali which is
used for kali coating to give glossy
appearance.
• The darkening of kali during evaporation of
extractant is due to the oxidative changes
occuring in the polyphenolic constituents like
flavanoids.
• Sago palm nut (cycas) is used as an adulterant.
• Sweet potato and tapioca- other adulterants. 24

25. • Made both from chali and
kalipak.
• Dried nuts are broken into bits,
blended with spices & flavour
mixture and packed in butter
paper or aluminium pouches.
• Essential oils (like natural
essential oil, spice oils,
aromatherapy oils,floral
absolutes,etc) are used instead
of raw spices for easy blending
with coconut gratings to avoid
microbial growth.
• Packed in butter paper or
Aluminium foil.
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Supari
cutting
machine

26. References :
• Internet sources
• Post Harvest Management of Horticultural
Crops – Dr. Subhash Chandra Swain.
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