News Excerpt: 

The areca nut grown in the Tirthahalli region emerged as the best quality areca among the varieties grown in Karnataka in an analysis conducted by the Areca Research Centre at Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences in Shivamogga.

Analysis process:

• The analysis results suggested that the best variety of areca was the Tirthahalli variety, grown in the Tirthahalli, Hosanagar, Sagar, and some parts of Shivamogga regions.
• Tirthahalli is a traditional areca growing area. A majority of the growers are small growers, with two to five acres of plantation.
• The climate conditions in the Tirthahalli region contribute to the superior quality of the areca variety grown there.
• The Tirthahalli variety of areca is suitable for producing high-grade areca nuts.
  

Grading process:

• After removing the husk, areca nut kernels are boiled, and areca precipitates are added. Later, the nuts are dried.
• After all the processes the nuts are graded into different categories: 
• Nuli, Hasa, Rashi, Bette, and Gorabalu, based on their market value.
• Nuli and Hasa nuts fetch higher prices than Rashi, Bette, and Gorabalu.
• Growers of the Tirthahalli variety get Nuli and Hasa nuts.
• Chemical analysis conducted by the centre found that there was not much difference in the arecoline content among the commonly available varieties.
• The arecoline content in Thirthahalli areca nuts is medium.