Agrileaf Exports Private Limited at Nidle in Dakshina Kannada has developed a completely functional prototype of AI-based arecanut grading and sorting machine, according to its founder and Chief Executive Officer Avinash Rao.
The AI-driven, computer-based arecanut grading technology which is the initiative of the company’s co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Athishay Jain can be used to sort out four grades of arecanut, Mr. Rao told The Hindu. The grades are chali, ulli, fator and karigot.
“The AI based technology developed is 80% accurate in detecting and sorting out the grades of arecanut,” Mr. Rao said adding that it would require another six months to develop it as a deployable product. The technology can be further developed to identify and sort out other grades of arecanut, he said.
Mr. Rao said that the company, which makes bio-degradable dinnerware and packaging materials from arecanut leaf, used AI based technology two years ago to develop an algorithm to quality-wise segregate the dinnerware. Now, the AI-driven technology has been used to grade and sort out arecanut. “We did it as a goodwill. Now cooperative bodies dealing with arecanut will have to come forward to develop the deployable machine which can be used by farmers and the bodies. The company will transfer the technology as per procedures,” he said.
The CEO said that the company will not go for commercial production of the machines as it is not its area of operation.
Meanwhile, a delegation of leaders of cooperative bodies dealing with arecanut visited the company on January 5, 2026, and witnessed the functioning of the machine.
It comprised S.R. Satishchandra, president, Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) Ltd.; Kishore Kumar Kodgi, former president of CAMPCO; Gopalakrishna Vaidya, president, The Totgar’s Co-operative Sale Society (TSS), Sirsi; Shivakumar, president, Tota Utpannagala Marata Sahakara Sangha Niyamith (TUMCOS); V.P. Mahesh, Vice President, Malnad Areca Marketing Cooperative Society (MAMCOS), Mahesh Puchhappady, president, All India Arecanut Growers’ Association and Araga Jnanendra, former Home Minister and MLA.
The delegation was briefed about Agrileaf’s fully integrated factory operations, production processes, and technological implementations.
“At Agrileaf, we recently developed areca grading technology as a solution to the challenges faced by areca growers. The appreciation from stalwarts of the areca sector for our AI technology and other innovations — created by utilising areca leaves and waste materials — has given us even greater motivation to move forward,” Mr. Rao said.
Curated by James Chen
