Officers visit areca godowns, ask merchants not to use chemicals during processing
Officials in Shivamogga conducted surprise inspections of areca godowns to prevent the use of chemicals during processing. Authorities warned merchants that such practices pose health risks and threaten the market reputation of local produce.
Why it matters
The intervention highlights efforts to maintain food safety standards and protect the economic interests of local agricultural producers.
A team of officers led by Shivamogga sub-division Assistant Commissioner H.P.S. Mythri conducted surprise inspections at areca godowns in Bullapura, on the outskirts of the city, on Monday and collected samples to check whether chemicals had been used during processing.
The exercise followed complaints that areca merchants were using chemicals to enhance the colour and shine of the nuts. Several truckloads of areca were recently seized in neighbouring Maharashtra over similar concerns.
Ms. Mythri told the merchants that the use of chemicals could pose serious health hazards to consumers, besides hurting the market for local areca growers in the long run. She warned that farmers would face heavy losses if the region’s produce lost its reputation in the market because of chemical use.
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