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Jackfruit draws customers and sellers closer

Three-day Vasanthotsava inaugurated at Pilikula Nisargadhama
Last Updated 03 June 2017, 18:35 IST

Jackfruit is not an ordinary fruit. The crowd at the Toobagere Jackfruit Growers’ Association stall at Dr Shivarama Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama during the three-day Vasanthotsava stands testimony to the people’s passion and demand for the fruit.

The stall with varieties of jackfruit like Chandra Halasu, Kempu Rudraksha, Haladi Rudraksha, Ekadashi, Bangarada Halasu was the cynosure of all eyes as its farmer members allowed the customers to taste the bulbs of Kempu Rudraksha and Chandra Halasu, along with selling them.

Rabi Kumar, Mahavruksha Toobagere Hobli Halasu Belegarara Raitha Sangha secretary, said the Association has brought three tonnes of jackfruit for the Vasanthotsava. They had taken part in the recent jackfruit and mango mela at Kadri Park.

“We get good response from customers for the Toobagere varieties in Mangaluru. We do not fetch profit as transportation cost is high, but we attend for the love showered by Mangaluru people and the bond with them,” he said.

Rabi Kumar said that Red Rudrakshi variety was best suited for cultivation by urban people. It grows up to 20-ft height and its canopy spreads to 10 ft. A tree usually bears between 150 and 300 fruits a year that do not weigh more than 4 kg. Many people in Bengaluru market preferred to purchase this variety as the small size made it easy to carry the fruit.“The Association was formed in 2008-09 with the help of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, prior to which, we were unaware of marketing tactics. From Rs 4 lakh business, the business has grown to Rs 25 lakh business in the last nine years,” he added.

Varieties of mangoes
Suman from Channakeshan Mangoes from Chikkaballapur has come with varieties of mangoes like ‘Omlet,’ ‘Laddoo,’ ‘Banganpalli,’ ‘Sakkare Gutti,’ ‘Rajgir.’

The ‘Omlet’ variety is used only for pickles and each mango weighs between 1 kg to 1.5 kg. There were also Badam, Totapuri, Raspuri, Alphonso and local variety at the exhibition.

Ananth Bhat of Karkala had come out with a variety of delicacies made of jackfruit including juice, halwa, ‘halasina gatti’ and ‘sheera’. Further, there were eatables made of jackfruit like kabab, payasa, chips, and happala.

Exotic fruits
There were exotic fruits like durian, figs (anjoora), mangosteen, passion fruit, velvet apple, ‘Jarige Hannu,’ Rambutan, ‘Jambotica,’ ‘Baroba,’ varieties of mangoes like ‘Bangeyadi Arasina,’ ‘Nano Mango,’ ‘Menasu Mavu,’ ‘Hindi Mavu,’ ‘Jeerige Mavu,’ ‘Sundoora Appe Midi,’ ‘Gojjina Mavu,’ ‘Gili Mavu,’ ‘Kuchgayi,’ ‘Karpura Appe Midi,’ ‘Sune Mavu,’ and ‘Madhuka’ at the exhibition as well as wild fruits like ‘Kadu Badane,’ ‘Kudane,’ ‘Challangayi,’ ‘Baddu Puli,’ ‘Soorante,’ ‘Samudraphala’ and ‘Shanthikai’.

Bamboo rice
There was sale of the rare bamboo rice by K P Bhat, proprietor of Kudilinga Gram-eena Naturals.
“To meet the growing demand in the coastal region, the dealers have started procuring bamboo rice through tribals and forest dwellers in Madhya Pradesh,” said Bhat, who promotes the medicinal values of bamboo rice through exhibitions on agriculture and organic farming in and around Mangaluru. “‘It is considered a very good medicine for neck and back pain and to treat diabetes and certain ailments,” he said.

Legislator Abhayachandra Jain inaugurated the Vasanthotsava.
DH News Service

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(Published 03 June 2017, 18:35 IST)

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