Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra has stressed on popularizing the cultivation of Jackfruit in the state in order to strengthen nutritional security. Odisha has a good potential for Jackfruit cultivation and its climate is very conducive for growing jackfruit. The rick nutritional property of jackfruit can help strengthen nutritional security among all.
Presiding over a state level meeting on production of Jackfruit in the state, Mahapatra said “Jackfruit has high nutritional value, and the agro-climatic conditions of Odisha are suitable for its production”.
He directed the department of horticulture to popularize cultivation of jackfruit with necessary government support like quality planting material, post harvest processing, value addition and marketing.
He added that Jackfruit has all the qualities to be branded and popularized as a super-food among the people.Further, Mahapatra directed to identify the potential areas where jackfruit could be cultivated in large patches. The department was asked to explore all possibilities for promoting it in the areas where people had traditional skill for jackfruit cultivation.
Development Commissioner P K Jena asked the officials to workout a detailed plan with inputs from thematic experts in this regard. Experts have suggested to popularize the food items processed from jackfruit through various initiatives such as jackfruit festivals at different levels.
Additional Chief Secretary Sanjeeb Chopra appraised that as per available information, Odisha was the second largest producer of jackfruit next to Tripura. Jackfruit trees are found distributed in all most all districts of Odisha. However, around 15 districts contributed major portion of the jackfruit production in the State.
Chopra added that Jackfruit trees were mostly confined to forest areas, backyards, waste lands, and road sides with around 3.15 MT of production per annum. Out of the total produce, around 55% is consumed raw as a good vegetable, and around 35% is consumed as a ripe fruit mostly in festivities. As per local climatic conditions, around 50 blocks in the State are found more suitable for large scale jackfruit production on commercial scale.
Chief Secretary Mahapatra directed to create extensive awareness about the nutritional composition of jackfruit along the lines of millet mission activities so that its commercial production would be taken up by the farmers.
He also directed to promote local entrepreneurship for setting up post-harvest processing, and value addition enterprises on different verities of jackfruits. He also directed to increase the area under jackfruit cultivation in convergence with ongoing horticultural schemes and MGNRGES.