Mangaluru: In the backdrop of the raging controversy over the suitability of arecanut for human consumption, a delegation led by the Central Arecanut and Cooperative Marketing and Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) has submitted an interim medical report to the union government claiming that arecanut is not carcinogenic and that it can cure various diseases.

Addressing a press meet here in the city, on April 9, President of CAMPCO S R Sathishchandra said, “Several scientific studies have confirmed that arecanut is not carcinogenic, instead, has medicinal properties which cures diseases like cancer. We have submitted an interim report to the union government regarding these findings. This report was submitted to Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Dr. J P Nadda and Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Radha Mohan,” on April 5.”

He claimed that the researches mentioned in the interim report were carried out by reputable institutions like ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow, CSIR-Central Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow, CSIR-Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysuru, CSIR-Centre for Cellular Molecular Biology(CCMB), Hyderabad, ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR), Noida, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru. However, additional details about the authors of the studies and their titles were not available to the media.

According to Satishchandra, the union government has asked CAMPCO to submit the complete report within six months. The delegation also requested the union government not to proceed further on the subject in the Supreme Court until the final report is published.

Konkodi Padmanabha, President of Karnataka State Areca Marketing Societies Federation, Shivamogga was present during the press meet.