“Jackfruit Fest” to generate awareness of its value

SHILLONG, JUNE 30: The Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) in collaboration with East Garo Hills District Basin Unit is conducting two-day “Jackfruit Festival” on July 11 and 12 under Meghalaya Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Promotion Program (MIBDLP).

Jackfruit, the biggest organic fruit is one among the highly neglected food resource. It is paradoxical that Garo hills wastes 80% of the fruits while people suffer from lack of proper nutrition and income. This is the Jackfruit season. As usual, this year also huge numbers of Jackfruits would be rotting under the tree, if proper interventions are not made.

In the Detailed Project Report, an attempt is made to calculate the economical value of the rotting fruits. The figures are startling. In East Garo Hills, it’s coming to more than Rs. 118 crores per season. In the entire Garo Hills, the loss due to the rot is more than Rs.434 Crores per season.

In this backdrop, the two days -day ‘Jack Fruit festival’ at Williamnagar with an aim to create large scale awareness about the utility of the fruit as well as to explore and nurture the livelihood opportunities with jackfruit is being organized.

The main features of the Festival are exhibition stalls, two days State Level Workshop on “Jack fruit- for local food security and livelihood”, cooking competition of Jackfruit Products, Jackfruit eating competition, bigest Jackfruit competition and seminar. The competitions are open to all the citizen of Meghalaya. The organizer expects lot of enthusiastic participation from all over Garo Hills for biggest Jackfruit competition.

The two days event can also become a platform for setting world records, if possible. It is to be noted that the Guinness world record for the biggest jackfruit stands in the name of a Hawaiian farmer. However this weighed only 34.4 kg. Garo Hills has potential to beat this record if awareness is made through these kinds of festivals.- By Our Reporter