Vakkapodi

Areca nut production in India is dominant in the coastal region within 400 kilometres (250 mi) from the coast line, and also in some other non-coastal states of India. Areca nut (Areca catechu), a tropical crop, is popularly known as betel nut, as its common usage in the country is for mastication with betel leaves. It is a palm tree species under the family of Arecaceae. It has commercial and economic importance not only in India but also in China and Southeast Asia.

Areca nut production in India is the largest in the world, as per FAO statistics for 2017, accounting for 54.07 % of its world output and is exported to many countries. Within India, as of 2013-14, Karnataka produces 62.69 percent of the crop followed by Kerala and Assam; all three states together account for 88.59 percent of its production. In the other states of Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, where it is also consumed, the crop is grown in a very small area. In Karnataka, in the Uttara Kannada District the crop is grown extensively.