Agri institutes told to explore ways to boost jackfruit output

Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake said agricultural research institutes should take up the initiatives to explore the possibilities to augment the use and production of jackfruit on a large scale.

Speaking at the State level Jackfruit Mela-2015 organized by Agricultural and Horticultural University, Shivamogga, Agriculture Science Center, Brahmavar, Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Center, Brahmavar here on Saturday, the minister said the fruit is extensively grown in the coastal belt. However, the people in the region are ignorant over the nutritional factors in the fruit. The jackfruit acts as the subsidiary food among most of the people in this region. The fruit which is rich in vitamins and minerals acts as the nutrients supporting the immune system.He added the government has taken measures to introduce elaborate food processing programmes and the initiatives would help the common people, he said.

Research benefits
Earlier inaugurating the jackfruit fest, veteran agriculturist and banker K M Udupa stressed on the need for the extension of agricultural activities. 

He lamented that crores of rupees are spent on research aiding agricultural activities. However, the benefits of the research are not availed by at least 50 percent of the total farming communities in the country. The impact of the research activities is nil. The value added export activities are the need of the hour. The awareness programmes should be taken in the interest of the farmers. He said the public, who have encroached the forest land and have destroyed various varieties of fruits and trees should lament on their deed. The animals are entering the human habitats as they are not finding their food in the forest. He said the forest department should take up measures to support the growth of jackfruit by cultivating the jackfruit saplings wherever they are supposed to plant the trees.

The trees which actually requires no extra efforts to be put for the growths, is indeed a great fruit on earth. He urged there is need for marketing of the jackfruit extensively.  
He said the uniqueness of the western ghat lies in the fact that the region is the hub for various special species of biodiversities, no where found across the world. It is the responsibility of each individual in this region to protect the species from becoming extinct, he added.