Mainly in the field of areca processing, problems arise even prior to harvesting and end before marketing. Commercial processing is done by the intermediaries involved in the secondary market. The methods of preparation of nuts to be sold in the market is the subject matter of processing. The major issues related to processing in the District comprise the following elements.
Besides climate conditions, the time of harvesting areca nut determines the quality of nuts. When red variety nuts are to be prepared, they are plucked while the husk is still green or at the gentle stage. In case of matured nuts, the color of the husk indicates the stage of maturity. The bunches are plucked when the color of the husk becomes pinkish red. By October end, ripening of nut starts and lasts by the end of January in coastal regions; in Malnad regions, this period is from November to February end.
The bunches of areca nut appear near the top close to leaves. Climbing up an areca palm and plucking the bunches is considered a special art, skill and technique. Only specialized and experienced labors can perform this task. One climber can deal with around 300 to 400 areca trees in a day. The climber is called 'konegowda' in local language and the areca bunch is called "Kone".
Trained women coolies are employed for husking. They peel areca with the help of a special iron "L"-shaped bend knife fixed on a wooden piece. In case of tendered nuts, husking is undertaken soon after harvesting and should be finished within 4–5 days. Farmers are facing problems getting specialized labors for this work. An experienced laborer can peel an average of 4,000 nuts a day.
The tender nuts are boiled soon after husking in a copper vessel for a duration of an hour. Various organic and inorganic ingredients such as barks of teak tree, lime, betel leaf, and oils are added to the water while boiling to improve color and quality of the kernels.
Boiled kernels are dried on bamboo or plastic mats about seven to eight days under the sun. The nuts are spread every morning and covered in the evening to protect from dews. After this process, nuts are sorted and graded into different varieties called 'Aapi', 'Rashi', 'Bette', 'Kempugotu', 'Ajagigai', and 'Kolekempu' based on size, taste, rate, and durability. 'Bette' variety requires sun burn over 12 days as the size is big.
The fully ripened nuts are merely dried in the sunlight for about 40–45 days without removing the husk. After drying, they become 'Dry Chali', or after extracting the outer husk, the nuts become 'Chaali'. Thereafter dried nuts are husked and dry kernels are sorted and graded into different varieties called 'Chaali', 'Bilegotu', 'Vadaku', 'Chalikempu', 'Gattikoka', and 'Aragere', 'Laddukoka' etc.
After boiling areca nut, the water remaining in the vessel is re-boiled for a couple of hours to prepare a thick liquid called tannin or 'Chogaru'. Sorted and graded tender nuts are soaked or coated with this tannin to get a glossy and attractive red appearance. This 'chogaru' acts like medicine to keep areca for long duration in stock. Nowadays, buyers prefer non-colored nuts as they process them again into different varieties. Chaali is fumigated to keep it as stock for long duration.
Specially in the coastal region, the harvested ripe nuts are stored in pits or steeped in water for consumption during off season. This variety has considerable demand in the local market and in Bombay market. After storing up to a period of one year it can be sold in the market. This type of processing is done only in the coastal areas.