BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to make the humble jackfruit a lucrative livelihood option for the growers and rural people, the state Horticulture directorate has signed MoUs with two companies for helping them churn out value-added products from the fruit.
The MoUs were signed with Artocarpus Foods and Nutritivo Food Products during a training-cum-workshop organised by the Odisha Jackfruit Mission here. The workshop featured industry specialists and master trainers from Kerala, who guided participants in creating various value-added products from jackfruit.
The companies will provide training to people in creating various value-added products and also facilitate marketing linking the three technology incubation centres (TICs) in Koraput, Kandhamal, and Keonjhar.
According to the jackfruit Mission, the state produces 3.15 million tonne jackfruit per annum. Out of the total produce, around 55 per cent is consumed as vegetable and around 35 per cent as a ripe fruit. Earlier this year, tribal women SHGs of Kandhamal’s 15 villages in Phulbani, Phiringia and Khajuripada blocks prepared jackfruit chips and supplied the consignments to Tamil Nadu.