Lingshui Areca Nuts

Lingshui Areca Nuts

　　Areca nuts belong to the palm family and are one of the Four Southern Medicines. They contain arecoline, arecaidine, and choline. They help strengthen the spleen and stomach, relieve stagnation, expel parasites, and promote fluid circulation. They are especially effective in treating intestinal parasites such as roundworms, tapeworms, and ginger flukes, as well as parasites in livestock. Eating areca nuts is a popular tradition, and they are also an essential gift during weddings.

　　Lingshui has a history of cultivating areca nuts for over 1,400 years. In 1959, the county had 39.67 hectares planted. By 1988, this had increased to 1,249.3 hectares, with 166.6 hectares harvested, yielding 950 tons annually. In 1990, the planted area expanded to 1,435.5 hectares, and the harvested area was 1.2 times larger than in 1988, producing 500 tons per year. Since the 1990s, Lingshui's fresh areca nuts have seen 250,000 kilograms sold to Taiwan Province each year, while dried areca nut products exceed 400 tons annually, mainly exported to provinces such as Hunan and Hubei.