KOCHI: The jackfruit festival organised by the Kudumbashree Mission at Marine Drive concluded on Tuesday.
The fest had jackfruit lovers thronging the venue in hundreds where various displays seek to emphasise the importance of the state’s traditional fruit. The first day of the fest saw a sale of around `6 lakh. Several cookery contests were also held as part of the event. The fest, open from 11 am to 11 pm, witnessed the participation of 76 Kudumbashree members from over 10 districts and preparation of 416 items.
“This homegrown, pesticide-free fruit is a treasure that needs to be preserved and should be given its due market value. Festivals like this are vital to counter any tendency towards underestimating the true value of the fruit,” said Rahul Krishnan, state project coordinator. Different kinds of products such as jackfruit jam, squash, ‘bajji’, ‘payasam’, ‘papad’, cheese, halwa, jelly, pickle, and dishes like jackfruit-crab curry, ‘chakkapuzhukku’, are the major highlights of the fest. The festival will conclude on Tuesday.