Global rush hits rare jackfruit variety 'Siddu'

Magic tree

The global rush for the seedlings of ‘Siddu’ variety of jackfruit since 2017 seems to have left the only standing tree of that strain in the world under tremendous stress.

Grafting thousands of seedlings every year, the parent tree located at Seegenahalli in Chelur Hobli of Tumakuru district has given a low yield. The increased demand among VVIPS for the nutrient-rich Siddu jackfruit has also deprived the owner’s family of a chance to savour the fruit every year.

Creating a revolution in popularising jackfruit across the world, the discovery of ‘Siddu variety’ by IIHR scientists has changed the fortunes of the Paramesh family, which is currently the custodian of the tree. But while catering to the surging demand, the family has also sacrificed to a greater extent.

Sharing the other side of the success, S S Paramesh, proprietor of the ‘Siddu Nursery’ that sells seedlings of the original variety, told DH that this year the tree has produced a low yield. “Every year, the tree used to give about 400 to 450 fruits. But this year, the yield has drastically reduced to a mere 250. As there was more and more demand for the seedlings, we had to cut the tender shoots of the branches, which affected the yield,” Paramesh revealed alongside the brisk sale of seedlings at the Mango and Jackfruit mela on the IIHR campus at Hessaraghatta.

He says he has already received booking orders for 20,000 seedlings this year. “It requires a minimum of four to five months to graft and raise a quality seedling,” Paramesh said.

From June to August, our entire family will be busy in grafting and attending to the seedlings. But this year, as we trimmed it more to raise seedlings, the yield took a beating,” he said.

Interestingly, ever since the variety shot to fame, the family has also begun to lose its quota of fruit. With VVIPs ‘hijacking’ the produce, the children in the family hardly get to taste the unique jackfruit variety.

“We are flooded with demands from politicians and bureaucrats during the summer. From Union ministers to prominent political families in New Delhi and state political leaders and bureaucrats, including IAS and IPS officers, many line up for the limited variety of fruit. My children complain that our tree feeds the who’s who of India and Karnataka, but none in the family get to taste it,” Siddu said.

The fruit bulbs with copper orange colour are rich in Vitamin C (6.48 gm per 100 gm) compared to other varieties of jackfruits (yellow bulbs). This apart, the fruit also has high percentage of carotenoids, flavonoids than any other variety of jackfruit.