Tirur betel leaves growers seek Centre’s support to promote it overseas

Tirur betel leaf farmers have approached the Centre with a ask for to just take some initiatives to help even more price-addition for the GI-tagged Tirur Vettila in look at of its medicinal attributes.

This would open up up new options for the product in abroad markets, Tirur Betel Leaf Producers Modern society has explained.

To leverage the advantage of the GI tag, the Modern society has urged the government to include things like the commodity in the trade promotion campaigns organised by the ministries anxious in both equally domestic and international fora.

In a memorandum submitted to S Jaishankar, Union External Affairs Minister, Beerankutty Melethil, Secretary, Tirur Betel Leaf Producers Modern society, also urged the Centre to reinstate exports of Tirur vettila and boost its excellent and uniqueness less than the Ministry by its a variety of techniques, mechanisms and the government’s mission overseas.

Tirur vettila is produced in Tirur in Kerala’s Malappuram district on 266 hectares and is distinctive for its drastically high content material of total chlorophyl and protein in clean leaves. Eugenol is the significant vital oil in Tirur vettila contributing to its pungency and its shelf period of time is higher as opposed to other betel leaves.

As scientists certify, the antioxidant home is additional in Tirur vettila introducing to its medicinal attributes. This betel leaf is additional pungent than any other cultivars, Melethil explained.

Considering that Tirur vettila is of fantastic medicinal price, the modern society requested the Minister to issue fast route to nationwide agricultural institutes to carry out exploration on medicinal attributes in order to upscale its use in ayurveda. The government should really include things like the product in farm tourism and Ayush initiatives and boost its use in the creation of ayurvedic medicines.

The lockdown past calendar year experienced pressured farmers to abandon the harvest in June and July. Having said that, the starting of teach products and services experienced aided to recover some desire in North Indian markets on a lower observe.