US bans the import of single-use disposable plates and cups made of arecanut leaves

Single-use disposable plates and cups made of arecanut leaves are cheaper than most other types of food-grade plates and are generally regarded as eco-friendly and hygienic when compared to plastic. However, the US, Canada and Australia have banned imports citing health concerns, creating a crisis for thousands of units in India, the world's largest areca leaf-based plate and cup producer.  

Plates and cups made of arecanut leaves have a global market worth Rs 3500 crore a year, of which India dominates with over Rs 2500 crore share. Most of the areca plates exported from India go to the United States, Israel, and Germany. The majority of the manufacturing is done in Tamil Nadu and South Karnataka, which have about 600 units. Earlier, Australia and Canada had banned imports of such plates, say industry sources.

On May 8, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a 'import alert' letter informing retailers, distributors, and importers of dinnerware (bowls, plates, cups, and cutlery) manufactured from the sheath of leaves from the Areca catechu (A. catechu) plant that such dinnerware may not lawfully be offered for sale in the U.S. ''FDA research shows that naturally occurring toxins in these products migrate to food at levels that may pose a health risk to consumers'', said the FDA.

The regulator said naturally occurring toxic alkaloids, one of which is a known carcinogen, are present in various parts of the plant, including in the Areca (Betel) nut, which is the fruit seed of the A. catechu palm tree, and in the leaves. The FDA has taken action against other products sourced from these palm trees, including putting in place an Import Alert 23-15 on Areca nuts, because of health concerns related to dietary exposure to these alkaloids, said the FDA order.

According to Volza's India Export data, India exported 3,407 shipments of Areca Plates from Nov 2023 to Oct 2024 (TTM). These exports were made by 144 Indian exporters to 325 buyers, marking a growth rate of 10% compared to the preceding twelve months. Globally, the top three exporters of Areca plates are India, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. India leads the world in Areca Plates exports with 25,175 shipments, followed by Sri Lanka with 308 shipments, and Vietnam taking the third spot with 109 shipments, says the data. 

Other plant-based dinnerware, such as those made with bamboo, sugar cane or sorghum, is outside the scope of thethat research. If consumers are unsure whether dinnerware is made of palm leaves, they should contact the product’s manufacturer, said the FDA directive.