There is a need for an inventory on jackfruit in the country, according to Shree Padre, Executive Editor, Adike Pathrike, a farm monthly and a crusader for jackfruit.
Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day ‘akala halasu sangama’ (off-season jackfruit mela) here on Saturday he said that no database is available now.
The database should enable one to know the monthly availability of jackfruit across the country, the varieties available, extent of area under jackfruit, whom to contact to place the demand, location of minimal processing units and the like.
Mr. Padre said that jackfruit seed has been ignored though there is immense potential for making value-added products from it. Some people in Kerala are now making at least 12 products from the seed. Its many opportunities still have not been explored.
He said that Indonesia is leading in making value-added products from the seed, and in research and development on jackfruit seed. A woman entrepreneur in Sri Lanka has been making dehydrated noodles from its seed. Mr. Padre said that the objective of organising the festival is to showcase the potential for making products throughout the year by using the flakes preserved in brine, from the pulp of the fruit and by using the flakes preserved using other technologies.
He said that now jackfruit is available throughout the year in Tumakuru and in Panruti, Tamil Nadu.
The festival organised by Navachetana Sneha Sangama, Puttur, in association with various other organisations, offered vacuum fried chips, pulp, fried products of flakes preserved in brine, dried tender jackfruit, canned jackfruit, and other products made from the fruit such as holige, laddu made from its seed powder, and ice cream.
Ravishankar Sunnanguli had made ‘payasam’ from the jackfruit seed, roti and chips fried from flakes in brine.
The Central Horticultural Experiment Station, Hirehalli, Tumakuru, under the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, had exhibited red varieties of jackfruit.
Source: The Hindu