Daijiworld Media network – Udupi (HB)

Udupi, May 28: There was aroma of fresh jackfruit wafting all over Sri Veerabhadra temple ground with the fruit lovers busy tasting mouth-watering varieties of dishes made out of jackfruit. Chefs and shop owners were seen busy selling products at the Jackfruit Mela 2022, inaugurated at Hiriyadka here on Saturday May 28.

The homemade coastal monsoon special jackfruit culinary gatti, pathrode, mulka, papad, podi, jackfruit manchoori, sheera and value-added products such as juice, ice cream, and non-perishable products were on the menu. The fair has attracted farmers from places such as Puttur and Beltangady.

A team of Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA) of MAHE participated in the mela, which was one of the attractions. Thirugnanasambantham K, the principal who led the team, attracted the customers by serving outstanding food varieties. Jackfruit brownies, jackfruit cake, jackfruit mousse, jackfruit pie, jackfruit trifle, jackfruit ghee roast pizza, jackseed chat, jackfruit cutlet, jackfruit churmuri jackfruit biryani, jackfruit galouti kebab were on offer in the menu at reasonable prices.

The two-day Jackfruit Mela is being organised for the first time in Udupi. The fair will remain open on Sunday as well. The exhibition cum sale was organised by Bommarabettu village panchayat, Hiriyadka, Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga in collaboration with Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station, Brahmavar in collaboration with Agricultural Diploma College, Brahmavar, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Brahmavar and Agriculture Department and Zilla panchayat Udupi in association with District Krishika Sangha, Udupi, Sri Dharmasthala Gramabhivruddhi project, Udupi, Palli Srinivas Hegde Charitable trust, Hiriyadka, Navyodaya Friends club and Kotnakatte friends circle, Hiriyadka.

Jayaprakash Hegde, chairman, Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission inaugurated the mela.

In his address, Jayaprakash Hegde said, “Jackfruit is a seasonal and poor man’s fruit. It has all kinds of nutrition, which is not known to many.” Requesting the officials of the department he said, “As everyone knows, conflict between human and animal is still continuing. People have acquired reserved forest land. Wild animals have no other place to live and no food is available in the forest. Hence the animals visit the cities in search of food. If we make food available to the animals by growing fruits in the forest they will not surely come on the road in search of food.”

He said, “The government should make arrangements to store jackfruits in cold storage as jackfruit is a seasonal fruit and is perishable. The farmers should get a market and remunerative prices for their produce in the market. The Krishi Vijnana Kendra should act as a bridge to help the farmers in terms of adapting new technologies, marketing updates and so on.”

Former MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake said, “Jackfruit is like Kalpavruksha and is a fruit of the poor. Each part of jackfruit can be used in one or the other way. There is lack of awareness about its value-added products. Farmers should cultivate jackfruit as any other crop. Coastal jackfruit should get its own patent like Mattu gulla. A processing unit should be installed for storing them in a scientific way.”

Dr M Hanumanthappa, chancellor, Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga delivered the keynote address.

Suresh Nayak, president, Bommarabettu grama panchayat presided over the programme.

Kuylady Suresh Nayak, president, State Bus owners’ Association Federation, Dr D Chandrashekhar Chowta, agriculturist, Miyapadavu Kasargod, Palli Natraj Hegde. Businessman, Hiriyadka, Devadas Marathe, president, Kotnakatte friends circle, Hririyadka, B Ashok Kumar shetty, president, Farmers Cooperative Association Limited Hiriyadka, Raghavendra Uppoor, GSK Swamy, professor, Bengaluru, Hemla Nayak,, expansion director, Shivmogga, Dr Lakshman, associate research director, KVK Brahmavar, Bantakallu Ramakrishna Sharma, president, district Krisika sangha and others were present on dais.

Sanil from Puttur, a jackfruit sapling stall owner said, “I got a call for this mela. If I had not come here, I would have missed a number of customers. I am receiving a good response today. I have brought the top ten varieties of saplings here including Rudrakshi and Chandra. Each sapling costs Rs 200 to Rs 300.”

The mela will have four sessions spread over two days regarding value-added products, farming, technology and so on.