Jackfruit, a wild fruit that once grew naturally in the countryside, is now cultivated in orchards in Karnataka as a mono crop.
About 2,000 hectares of jackfruit orchards have come up in the State since 2010, said S.V. Hittalmani, former Additional Director of Horticulture (Fruits).
From a minimum of two hectares to a maximum of more than 10 hectares, they are concentrated mainly in Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagaram, Hassan, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chickballapur in addition to some areas in the Malnad belt. About 40 grafted jackfruit varieties are available now in nursuries in the State.
Bairachandra , Toobugere Red , Swarna , Lalbagh Madura and Sadananda are some of the premium varieties which are in great demand. Value addition is required for such varieties whose quality is not up to the mark. Climate change, farm labour issues, drought and dwindling water sources have made farmers to go for jackfruit cultivation as a natural option, Shree Padre, executive editor, Adike Pathrike , a farm monthly and a crusader for jackfruit and its value-added products, told The Hindu .
Shivanna of Sakharayapatna, who is from Parivarthana, an NGO in Chikkamagaluru district, and who has been making ‘Jaffe’ health drink from jackfruit seeds and pulp from the fruit, said that a farmer,
Nagendra, planted jackfruit plants on four acres in his village three months ago. The trees on the more than 10-acre orchard of Channe Gowda in Arkalgud in Hassan district began yielding from this year.
Vishwas, a farmer near Hassan, planted jackfruit as a mixed crop with mango and sapota on 10 acres, he said.
Mr. Padre said that the orchards are coming up in the State without the government’s campaign for it.
“They are coming up as a result of the farmers’ own movement.” A National Jackfruit Research Station is needed in the State, Mr. Padre said. “Promote sale and transport of peeled ready jackfruit from production area to processing centre so that both industry owners and farmers get benefited,” he said.
