The Arecanut palm grows in abundance in the wet zone of Sri Lanka.
These trees are seen in the hills and valleys of Sabaragamuwa. They do
not need care or attention. The ripe fruits fall done and are rarely
collected by the villagers, in large amounts. The kernel of the
arecanut is used as shavings to prepare a chew of betel. The fruits
find a ready market in Pakistan. They are bought by the whole-sale
traders for Rs.5/- each fruit in Sri Lanka. The photo shows a young
village couple coming out of a shop in Ratnapura, after selling a sack
full of arecanuts.
