Which Country Is the Largest Producer of Areca Nut (Betel Nut) in the World?
India is the world’s largest producer of areca nut (betel nut), leading with about 63% of total global production in 2025-26, as per the DASD's latest report. Explore the latest production data and top states. Also, do you know that areca nut and betel leaf are the same or different?
India is widely known as the Land of Spice, and among the various spices, India is the largest producer of Areca Nut, which is also called Betel Nut or supari, in the world.
As per the PIB, India is the world’s largest producer of areca nuts, accounting for about 63% of total global production.
The latest data from the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, shows that the area under arecanut cultivation increased from 10.40 lakh ha in 2024-25 to 11.06 lakh ha in 2025-26.
Latest Areca Nuts (Betel Nut) Data: 2025-26
According to the Second Advance Estimates for 2025-26 released by DASD:
| Fact | Latest Government Data |
| Country | India |
| World position | 1st |
| Areca nut area in 2025-26 | 11.06 lakh hectares |
| Areca nut production in 2025-26 | 15.29 lakh tonnes |
| Production in 2024-25 | 14.91 lakh tonnes |
| Change in production | Increase |
| Major producing state | Karnataka |
| Karnataka's production | About 10 lakh tonnes |
| People dependent on this farming in India | About 6 million |
| Market value in India | About ₹58,664 crore |
| Export value (2023-24) | About ₹400 crore |
Note: These are the 2025-26 data of Second Advance Estimates, so they are not yet final figures. DASD says production increased because of favourable weather and lower incidence of pests and diseases, especially in Karnataka.
Which state is the largest producer of Areca Nuts (Betel Nut) in India?
Karnataka is the largest producer of Areca Nuts (Betel Nut) in India. As per the PIB, Karnataka ranks first, with a production of 10 lakh tonnes from 6.76 lakh hectares, followed by Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and others.
Major Areca Nut Producing States in India
Some important areca nut producing states are:
| Rank | State | Areca Nut Production |
| 1 | Karnataka | About 10 lakh tonnes |
| 2 | Kerala | Second largest producer |
| 3 | Assam | Major producer |
| 4 | Meghalaya | Major producer |
| 5 | Mizoram | Major producer |
| 6 | West Bengal | Major producer |
| 7 | Tamil Nadu | Major producer |
Among these, Karnataka is the leading producer.
What is an areca nut?
An areca nut is the seed of the fruit of the oriental palm Areca catechu, which is also known as the betel nut.
It is a hard, brown oval shape, which is about the size of a plum, which is widely used in chewing products, paper and insulating wool production.
This nut can be eaten raw or it may be used in another way, including boiling in water, roasting, or curing.
The consumption of areca nut is widely consumed in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Taiwan, and numerous islands in the South Pacific.
It is also popular in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos, and China
Are the Areca Nuts and Betel Leaf the same or different?
Thai is the most confusing part. Are areca nut and betel leaf the same or different?
Let’s understand this,
| Areca Nut | Betel Leaf |
| Also called betel nut or supari | Also called betel leaf or paan leaf |
| Comes from the areca palm | Comes from the betel vine |
| Scientific name: Areca catechu | Scientific name: Piper betle |
| The nut is commonly used with betel leaf | The leaf is commonly used to wrap areca nut |
So, areca nut and betel leaf are two different things.
So, India is the largest producer of areca nut (betel nut) in the world. The latest 2025-26 Second Advance Estimates of the Government of India put India's areca nut production at 15.29 lakh tonnes from an area of 11.06 lakh hectares.
Karnataka is the largest areca nut-producing state in India.
So, remember this simple GK fact:
World → India → Largest Areca Nut Producer
India → Karnataka → Largest Areca Nut Producing State
Prabhat Mishra is a Subject Matter Expert and digital journalist with an extensive background in the competitive exam landscape and over 4 years of experience in education, national and international news, and current affairs. Over his tenure with top knowledge platforms like Mentorship India, IAS BABA, IAS SARTHI, and now Jagran Josh, he has a deep understanding of government exams like UPSC and State PCS, including UP and Bihar, as he has already qualified for the UPPCS 2022 Mains and Bihar 68th Mains. With his core expertise in history, polity, geography & current affairs, he specialises in creating well-researched, aspirant-centric content and simplifying complex topics for competitive examinations.
