Jackfruit festival promotes consumption of local fruits

Mysuru: Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation (KAPPEC) managing director C N Shivaprakash on Saturday highlighted the need to promote the use of jackfruit, which is rich in medicinal properties, instead of imported fruits.

He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day jackfruit and mango festival organised by Sahaja Samrudha, Desi Seed Producer Company, and the department of horticulture-Kisan Mall at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry on Vinoba Road in Mysuru.

He said that jackfruit is like a wish-fulfilling tree for farmers in dryland regions. It has the ability to withstand climate change and erratic rainfall. A wide range of value-added products can be prepared from jackfruit. Farmers can earn better income if they focus on value addition activities. KAPPEC will provide all support for value addition and market linkages for promotion of jackfruit, he said.

Joint director of the department of Kannada and culture VN Mallikarjunaswamy also appealed to people to popularise the use of jackfruit as the fruit is deeply connected to our food culture.

Seed conservator Syed Ghanikhan from Kirugavalu, who has preserved mango varieties from over 200 years, said he preserved more than a hundred mango varieties that are nearly 300 years old. There are varieties with the fragrance of sweet lime, apple-shaped mangoes, cumin-flavoured mangoes, and even non-sweet mangoes.

ICAR-JSS Krishi Vigyan Kendra head BN Gnanesh said that jackfruit and its seeds are rich in vitamins, fibre, phytochemicals, proteins, minerals, and several other nutrients.