CAMPCO demands nodal agency to check quality of imported arecanut

Mangalore, Feb 23 (UNI) With the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) designating New Mangalore Port, as the only port in the country to import Arecanut, the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) here has stressed the need for immediate appontment of a nodal agency to check the quality of the imported commodity and fix a floor rate.

CAMPCO President S R Rangamurthy and Karnataka Fisheries Minister Nagaraj Shetty, also a former CAMPCO President, said the notification had been well received by the sector.

However, the Government should soon appoint a nodal agency and fix the floor rate for imported arecanut, which would help control the import of arecanut to a great extent and boost the domestic market.

Mr Rangamurthy told UNI today that the notification would not only help the movement of imported arecanut, but also help the industry get exact details about the quantity of imported arecanut and the reasons for it.

''Since 1994, arecanut was being imported from countries like Indonesia and Thailand through both legal and illegal means. Fixing of nodal agency would help the industry check the import of inferior quality of arecanut. Besides, the fixation of floor rate would curb the under-invoicing of shipment,'' he added.

He said as the country's annual production of arecanut was sufficient to meet the needs of the domestic market, which was around five lakh tonnes, there was no need for importing the commodity. Nearly 50,000 tonnes of arecanut was being imported.

A delegation of cooperatives, under the leadership of Mr Rangamurthy and Mr Shetty, had met the Union Agriculture Minister and Commerce and Industries Minister, urging them to impose a total ban on import of Arecanut. The Ministers had assured that a tariff rate would be imposed on imported arecanut and a single port would be selected for import of arecanut.

UNI