Introduction:
The Betel is the leaf of the vine. In India, it is known as "paan". Betel vine is a perennial, evergreen climber which grows in tropics and subtropics. Betel leaf is mostly consumed in Asia and elsewhere in the world by some Asian emigrants. Today, betel is grown for local consumption and exports. Major betel leaf growing countries are Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Bangladesh.
The areca nut is the fruit of the areca palm (Areca catechu), which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Southeast and South Asia, and parts of east Africa. It is commonly referred to as betel nut so it is easily confused with betel (Piper betel) leaves that are often used to wrap it (paan).
Chewing the mixture of areca nut and betel leaf is a tradition, custom, or ritual which dates back thousands of years in much of the geographical areas from South Asia eastward to the Pacific.
Varieties of Betel Leaves: Based on the shape, size, brittleness and taste of the leaf blade, betel vine is classified into pungent and non-pungent varieties- Karapaku, Chennor, Tellaku, Bangla and Kalli Patti, Assam Patti, Awani pan, Bangla and Khasi pan, Desi pan, Calcutta, Paton, Maghai and Bangla, etc.
Varieties of Betel Nut: In India there are two varieties of areca nut, popularly known as supari in Hindi. One is the white variety and the other is the red variety. The white areca nut is produced by harvesting the fully ripe nuts and then subjecting them to sun drying for about 2 months. In the red variety, the green areca nut is harvested, boiled and then its exterior husk is removed.
Production and Area:
Betel leaves are cultivated in the states of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Maharashtra. Betel Nut is widely cultivated in Karnataka, Kerala and Assam; all three states together account for more than 85 percent of its production. Other Indian states including Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, the crop is grown in a very small area.
Exports:
The country has exported Betel Leaves, Betel Nuts and Areca Nuts to the world in 2023-24 as is in below table.
| Export Volume FY24 (MT) | Exported in FY24 (USD Mil) | |
| Others (Betel Leaves & Nuts) | 1,620.06 | 5.18 |
| Betel Nuts and Areca Nuts | 10,636.87 | 48.35 |
Major Export Destinations (2023-24):
United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Bhutan, Nepal and Malaysia.