Mumbai market extends sweet welcome to Vadakadu jackfruits

Farmers and traders reap rich rewards with drip irrigation, crop management

HAPPY DAYS:Jackfruit arrival at the wholesale market at Vadakadu in Pudukottai district has shown considerable increase in the last three years.

The introduction of drip irrigation has enhanced the yield of jackfruit in the district.

The quality of the yield has also been good and the fruit fetches handsome price for the farmers in the Mumbai market. About 4,000 fruits are being sent by a group of traders in Vadakadu in the district to Mumbai each week.

According to the traders, there has been a growing awareness among farmers, particularly in the last three years, over the need to improve the quality and size of the fruit.

“The farmers have been keeping a close vigil on the crop output through proper fertilisation and drip irrigation techniques,” they said. This has led to significant improvement in the quality and quantity of the produce in the last three years, particularly after the onslaught of Thane Cyclone in 2012, which had destroyed large swathes of jackfruit trees in Panruti – a major supplier to Mumbai market,” says R.Chandrasekar, a merchant at Vadakadu.

Senthankudi, Veeramangalam, Periyakadu, Panankulam, Kotthamangalam, Maramadakki, Kolamangalam, Maankadu, Vadakadu, Pullanviduthi, Vaanakkankadu, Vandanviduthi, Karukkakurichi and Neduvasal villages account for large areas of land under jackfruit cultivation, said Gunasekaran, another trader.

The weight of the fruit varies from 4 kg to 40 kg. However, the fruits meant for Mumbai market weigh over 8 kg, the vendors said.

On an average, the farmers get Rs.80 per fruit.

“We get about Rs. 4 lakh a month by despatching 1,000 fruits per week to Mumbai,” the traders said.

The soil in and around Vadakadu is ideally suited for jackfruit cultivation.