mangaluru the spurt in the theft of areca nut in several taluks in dakshina kannada has prompted district police to issue guidelines to farmers and traders to curb the crime dakshina kannada police attributed the theft of areca nut to the value the commercial crop fetches on the market areca nut is widely cultivated across the coastal districts and in dakshina kannada it is extensively grown in belthangady puttur and bantwal taluks one quintal of areca nut is sold for rs 36000 to rs 40000 pointing to theft of areca crop worth thousands of rupees police said that if farmers were to follow simple guidelines they would not have to suffer huge losses advisory to farmers traders install closedcircuit television cctv cameras at areca nut drying yards or have a sentinel posted at the same all shops selling areca nut must install cctv cameras intimate the nearest police station on noticing suspicious movement of an individual or a group ensure that drying yards are sufficiently lit during the night traders purchasing areca nut must verify the identity of those selling the crop lest the former be liable to legal action later on