This time, it’s betel nut thefts

Commonwealth farmers are experiencing big losses due to the rampant stealing of betel nuts in their farms and backyards, according to Isidoro Cabrera, president of the Saipan Sabalu Market Association.

Cabrera told Saipan Tribune on Friday that betel nut stealing is reaching an “alarming” rate among farmers.

At his family’s farm alone on Capital Hill, an estimated $400 to $500 worth of betel nuts is being stolen each time. Just this year alone, he said his family noted several instances where their betel nut produce is being pilfered.

Almost all farmers, he said, have reported the same incidents happening at their farms and can’t do anything about it because burglars usually can enter the property unnoticed.

At the same time, farmers do not report these incidents to the authorities, Cabrera said, because they believe that betel nut stealing won’t get priority action from the police.

Many of the thieves even cut the trees to make it easier for them to harvest the betel nuts. Cabrera said this is the farmers’ main concern because they may lose all their trees to burglars and, once the trees are cut, their production will also cease.

Rota and Tinian farmers are also experiencing the same incidents, he added.

Cabrera believes the economic hardship being experienced by families on the islands and the high unemployment are behind the increasing number of stealing incidents in farms. “It’s very easy to sell the stolen produce to the stores…compared to other items and property.”

Cabrera disclosed that a farmer can earn as much as $100,000 gross income per month just from betel nut produce. A tree can bear five to six bunches a year and one bunch can generate up to $75.

“This is a fast money-making business and it helps many of our farmers. Imagine a farmer owning 10 or 20 betel nut trees. Just from this produce alone, they can earn as much as $100,000 per month,” said Cabrera, adding that this is why more and more people are planting betel nut trees, even in their backyards.

During peak season, farmers sell their betel nuts in stores for $1 for every 12 pieces. During off-season, the price goes up to $1 for every six pieces.

The months of August to January are considered the peak season for betel nut production on the islands. Cabrera admitted that one major reason of the increase in demand for betel nut production is the growing number of persons chewing betel nut.

“We’ve seen a lot of young students, in their elementary, starting to chew betel nut…and we believe that’s one major reason for the high demand nowadays,” he said.