Karnataka’s arecanut sector faces a major challenge as productivity drops 37% despite a 32% increase in cultivation area over five years. Government data shows declining output in major districts like Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada due to falling yields.
Karnataka’s arecanut sector is facing a major challenge as productivity has witnessed a sharp decline despite a significant expansion in the cultivation area over the past five years. According to data presented by the Central Government in the Lok Sabha, the area under arecanut cultivation in the state has increased by more than 32 per cent since 2021-22, while the average yield per hectare has fallen by nearly 37 per cent during the same period.
The decline in productivity has also affected overall arecanut production in Karnataka, which remains the country’s leading producer of the crop. The latest figures have raised concerns among farmers, particularly in major arecanut-growing districts such as Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.
Arecanut Cultivation Area Expands, But Productivity Declines
In 2021-22, arecanut was cultivated across 6,03,121 hectares in Karnataka. According to the second advance estimate for 2025-26, the cultivation area has increased to 7,98,677 hectares.
This marks an expansion of nearly 1,95,500 hectares, or over 32 per cent, in five years.
However, average productivity has declined significantly. The yield per hectare has dropped from 2.24 tonnes in 2021-22 to 1.42 tonnes in 2025-26, registering a fall of around 37 per cent.
Karnataka’s Arecanut Production Falls By 16%
The decline in productivity has affected the state’s overall arecanut output.
Karnataka produced around 13.5 lakh tonnes of arecanut in 2021-22. Production fell to 10.2 lakh tonnes in the following year before gradually recovering to an estimated 11.3 lakh tonnes in 2025-26.
Despite the recovery, the current production level remains around 16 per cent lower than it was five years ago.
The figures were shared by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ramnath Thakur in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, in response to a question raised by Shivamogga MP B.Y. Raghavendra.
Karnataka Continues To Dominate Arecanut Sector
Despite the decline in productivity, Karnataka continues to hold a dominant position in India’s arecanut industry.
Over the last five years, Karnataka accounted for 71.56 per cent of the country’s total arecanut cultivation area and contributed around 75.47 per cent of India’s total arecanut production.
The state remains the largest contributor to the country’s arecanut supply, with thousands of farmers depending on the crop for their livelihoods.
Productivity Declines In Major Arecanut-Growing Districts
The decline in yield has been reported in several major producing districts of Karnataka.
In Shivamogga, the area under arecanut cultivation increased from 1,11,758 hectares in 2021-22 to 1,34,692 hectares in 2025-26. However, productivity declined from 2.13 tonnes per hectare to 1.11 tonnes. As a result, production fell from 2,37,710 tonnes to 1,49,593 tonnes.
Dakshina Kannada also witnessed a similar trend. Although the cultivation area increased from 1,01,689 hectares to 1,07,900 hectares, productivity dropped from 2.70 tonnes per hectare to 1.31 tonnes. Production declined from 2,74,560 tonnes to 1,41,349 tonnes.
In Udupi, productivity decreased from 3.12 tonnes per hectare to 1.50 tonnes, leading to a fall in production from 72,430 tonnes to 39,859 tonnes.
In Uttara Kannada, the cultivation area increased from 32,698 hectares to 39,354 hectares, but productivity declined from 2.90 tonnes per hectare to 1.50 tonnes. Production reduced from 94,823 tonnes to 59,031 tonnes.
However, the decline was not uniform across all districts. Chikkamagaluru recorded an increase in production, while Haveri and Hassan also reported growth in cultivation area and output.
What Is Causing The Decline In Arecanut Productivity?
The Central Government did not specify a single reason for the decline in productivity in its Lok Sabha reply. However, several factors affecting arecanut cultivation have been highlighted.
The Arecanut and Spices Development Directorate (DASD) has been implementing various programmes to support farmers and improve productivity. These include managing diseases such as leaf spot disease, fruit rot disease and rootworm infestation.
Other measures include promoting hybrid dwarf varieties, encouraging multi-cropping systems and introducing weather-based disease forecasting systems.
The Centre has also launched a community-based leaf spot disease management programme in 10 affected taluks of Karnataka to help control crop losses.
Similar Trend Seen Across India
The decline in productivity is not limited to Karnataka. The national arecanut sector has also witnessed a similar trend.
The area under arecanut cultivation in India increased from 8,49,330 hectares in 2021-22 to 11.06 lakh hectares in 2025-26. However, average productivity declined from 1.96 tonnes per hectare to 1.38 tonnes per hectare during the same period.
The latest data highlights the growing challenge of improving productivity and protecting farmers’ incomes despite the expansion of arecanut cultivation across Karnataka and the country.