"JACKPOT" FOR JACK FRUIT!-IS THIS FRUIT REALLY GETING GLOBAL?

Jackfruit in India and Durian in Malaysia and Indonesia are two of the most "smelling" fruits liked well by some or hated too much by many others! Those liking it will go to any length to have a bite of these fruits wherever or whenever they can and others with intense dislike will even keep away at least for 24 hours from people who consumed them fearing the intense body smell generated by the aromatic chemicals present in the fruits. India is considered the country where Jack fruit originated about 6000 years ago but it also grows in Brazil and Philippines where people seem to be enjoying its taste and flavor, fresh or in local preparations made from them. Those in the states of Kerala and southern Karnataka in India swear by this fruit and the production is more or less concentrated in these areas. Though it is not a commercial crop in a strict sense, a small quantity is processed by the unorganized food sector into products like canned bulbs, fruit leather, fried chips from unripe fruits and osmotically dried bulbs. According to some reports Sri Lanka is exporting one of the varieties of this fruit with soft slippery texture and intense color to Europe for incorporation into ice cream preparations. The classical Kerala preparation Chakka varattiyathu  made from ground soft fruit variety and jaggery finds some export markets in gulf countries for catering to immigrant populations there. A recent report suggesting that jackfruit is going to be exported to the US is indeed welcome and here is a take on this interesting development.  

"Global Village Fruits Inc. (GVFI), a for-profit social enterprise started by pre-med anthropology concentrator and Harvard public service traveller Annemarie Ryu is set to export 25 tonne of dried jackfruit to the US, but she faces shortage of supply. To overcome the supply crisis, Annemarie along with her local partner NV Paulose is all set to launch 'The Jackfruit Campaign'. The increase in demand will translate into a boon for farmers here who are not able to market the fruit. Currently, a major share of jackfruit produced in undivided Dakshina Kannada district is wasted due to the lack of a proper market.  GVFI will enable farmers here to market the fruit and make more profit. Paulose told TOI that though there is a demand for 25 tonne of dried jackfruit per year in the US, the supply here is less than 1 tonne.  "Annemarie will visit Mangalore to promote more ventures in jackfruit processing. GVFI will introduce more varieties of jackfruit products, including jackfruit burgers, if she is able to get more supply. This will further increase the demand for the fruit in the US, and farmers in India, especially those in coastal Karnataka, will get a higher price," he said. Anniemarie will meet jackfruit farmers, entrepreneurs and investors at a campaign in the city on June 16. She will present a special 3D shooting session on 'Jackfruit economics' and interact with stakeholders". 

How an American has developed a liking for this intensely flavored fruit still remains a puzzle and if the fruit becomes really popular, sky is the limit for exports of this item in the coming years. Unfortunately the very nature of jackfruit cultivation and harvesting does not lend itself to easy mass production and processing. Besides the buyer is looking towards dried fruit bulbs which can be achieved by sun drying only and to add to the woes, jackfruit harvesting coincides with the Monsoon season when sun drying is almost impractical. Controlled drying can be done but very little drying capacity is available in the  Udipi area to get any sizable quantity of products made in short time. An organization like the Puttur based CAMPCO must come forward to help the jackfruit farmers to process the ripe fruit into dehydrated products for which a demand has been generated. Also worth exploring is whether the Vacuum Frying facility, set up a couple of years ago in Udipi area  by a  private enterprise, can be exploited to meet the present demand. A major problem in handling jackfruit is its sticky nature when cut, to extract the bulbs, making processing an arduous task. The gumless variety being propagated during the last two decades in that area may provide the answer to this "stickiness" problem. Those involved in export of jackfruit must explore these options for a systematic development of this industry in the region.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
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