The Northern Marianas is to conduct its first-ever research study on betel nut to see whether there is any economic benefit in mass production.
The research is to be spearheaded by the Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research Extension and Education Services, done in collaboration with two institutes in South Korea where assessment will take place.
College officials recently took 1,500 betel nut samples to Korea for evaluation and testing.
However the nuts were seized by Korean quarantine officers after the discovery of pests within the packed betel nuts.
Although no tests were done on the seized items, Isidoro Cabrera, the College's agricultural specialist has assured that the research would push through as talks are ongoing with the Korean researchers.
