TIRUCHY: India stands first jackfruit production in the world and in 2016-17, year for which figures are available, “we produced 18.26 lakh tonnes of jackfruit,” says N. Kumar vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU).
Mr. Kumar told newsmen on the sidelines of Jackfruit day at the Horticulture College and Research Institute (HC&RI) for women at Tiruchy on Saturday, that Jackfruit cultivation is spread over 1.51 lakh hectares across the country including 3,452 hectares in Tamil Nadu.
In fact, Tamil Nadu produced 49,737 tonnes of jackfruit every year in which Cuddalore district stood first with 60.42 tonnes of production, he added.
Mr. Kumar said the jackfruit day was organised to create awareness about the newly released jack varieties from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and display the same to the farmers, entrepreneurs, students, and public and to sensitise them about the value-added products from jackfruit.
He said TNAU has exhorted the farmers to go for grafted plantation of jackfruit for quick yield and called upon farmers to go ahead with the grafted varieties in future, as they will bear fruit-yield in three to four years. To a question, he said they planned to create varieties that were on par with that of the finest varieties planted in Malaysia and Thailand.He said that the TNAU was making efforts to bring out paddy varieties to withstand the onslaught of drought, in a year or two and this will be released within a couple of years.Earlier, Dr Kumar released a book titled -Jackfruit cultivation and value-added products and the first copy was received by the veteran farmers’ leader and president of the Desiya Then India Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayeegal Sangam. P. Ayyakannu, at the exhibition.
