According to the 2021 Agriculture Survey of Bhutan Report released by the National Statistics Bureau ( NSB) recently, about 21,377 Metric Tonne (MT) of areca nut were harvested in 2021. This was 3,931 MT higher, equivalent to 23 percent more than in 2020.
Major areca nut producing dzongkhags are Samtse which harvested 11,393 MT in 2021, Sarpang harvested 6,350 MT and Samdrupjongkhar harvested 1,605 MT in 2021.
The report also showed that the higher level of areca nut production at the national level in 2021 was due to increase in bearing number of trees to 1,793,252 ( 265,188 more trees than in 2020). The number of growers also increased from 11,079 households in 2020 to 11,355 households in 2021.
The report presented the results of the first agriculture survey conducted by NSB.
Meanwhile, the Economic Affairs Minister, Loknath Sharma, said that the government is still waiting for the restrictions in India to be lifted on areca nut.
“We have not received any formal communication, but we are optimistic that the restrictions on areca nut will be lifted soon. There is no issue and the export is going smoothly in terms of ginger,” Lyonpo said.