Stakeholders in the areca-nut industry are planning a major agitation in front of the Trade Ministry and the Department of Commerce tomorrow (24) against an ongoing ban on exporting areca nut.
Growers, collectors, brokers and exporters are scheduled to take part and highlight their plight of helplessness due to the three-month halt.
Expressing their deep displeasure to trade minister Nalin Fernando, they say the country loses nearly Rs. 50 million US dollars each month due to this ban.
Areca-nut is cultivated in an estimated 12,533 hectares of land, mostly non-commercial, in the wet and intermediate zones and in some parts of the dry zone.
