HARVESTING IN BETEL VINE

S.ESWARA REDDY Betel vine is a perennial, dioecious, evergreen climber that is grown in tropics and subtropics for its leaves that are used as a chewing stimulant. In India, betel vine is grown as an important cash crop in southern parts, mainly in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu Betel leaves has good export potential and India exports betel leaves to the countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma and Thailand. Under favorable conditions and good cultivation the betel vines grow fast and produce leaves of consumable size relatively early. The time of starting the picking of leaves depends on the growth of the vines and market condition. The picking of leaves starts as early as 3-6 months after planting in Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh, & Kerala, where the life of the vine is short. In other places harvesting continues almost every day or week depending on the market condition. The leaves borne on the branches are picked

and not on the main stem. Leaves on main stem are of a lower quality, hence not valued in the market: Mother vine : kalli leaf (to local markets) : karapakur

Lateral branches

Other than the above:apada leaf or teega aku. (exported to different markets) Usually 4-5 leaves are plucked at a time from a vine in old and 2-3 in new garden and packed in convenient packages made from local material like banana sheath. In Andhra Pradesh, normally three kinds of leaves viz., mature, tender and rejected leaves are harvested. Mature leaves (bonduaku) are exported to distant places, so that when the consignments reach the oilier end, the leaves become ripe and develop an attractive colour and are easily marketed. The tender leaves (Tellaku) are harvested for local markets. The rejected leaves (potti aku) consists of over matured leaves. Leaves affected by sun scald or narrow or short leaves are sold in villages. The crop yields less in the first year, maximum in the middle period of life and again less towards

the end. The Held life of betel vine plantation ranges from 2-3 years in Andhra Pradesh. In Andhra Pradesh 3-4 picking can be effected in the first year, 10 to 12 and 8-10 pickings in the second & third years respectively. But good quality, large quantity of leaves can be harvested in the second year only and the quality deteriorates in the third year. Yield: 20 - 30 lakh leaves / year /acre Grading of harvested leaves is done in various ways and the grades named accordingly. In some areas of the Deccan, the leaves are classified according to their position on the vines. The leaves on the branches are called Hal wan and are usually considered the best. Those on the main stem (Angwan) are of a medium quality. The rest, which may be from any part of the vine, are of inferior quality and are known as modwan.

dr_esreddy@yahoo.co.in 10th April 2013