VIJAYAWADA : For the first time in Andhra Pradesh, 30-year-old Boragam Venkat, a panchayat secretary and Adivasi tribal youth from Mamidigondi village in Polavaram mandal of Eluru district, has cultivated the exotic gac fruit. Known globally as ‘heavenly fruit’, the nutrient-rich gac attracts farmers and enthusiasts for its commercial potential and health benefits. Venkat comes from an agricultural family. His parents Rama Rao and Venkayamma supported his efforts to raise innovative crops.
A BTech Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduate from GIET Engineering College in Rajamahendravaram, Venkat brought gac plants from Kerala in November 2023. By May 2024, the plants began yielding fruit. With help from his parents, wife and son Rithik, he turned his backyard into a gac fruit garden.
Gac fruit, part of the watermelon family, is recognised for its vibrant orange skin, oval shape, and striking red seeds encased in yellow-green pulp. It undergoes four distinct colour changes during ripening and requires male and female plants for cross-pollination. Farmers report better yields with hand pollination.
Native to Southeast Asia, the gac fruit is celebrated for its exceptional nutritional profile.
It is rich in beta-carotene, lycopene, omega fatty acids, and essential nutrients.
The fruit aids eyesight, heart health, and cancer prevention and is used in traditional medicine. It is also prized for its skin-brightening properties.
Currently, gac fruit sells locally for around Rs 500 per kg, but can fetch up to Rs 1,500 in wider markets, making it highly profitable.
It is versatile and gaining popularity for its unique flavour and health benefits. “I have planted 300 plants so far, and the results are promising. By June 2025, I plan to expand cultivation to two acres with 1,000 plants. Each plant can produce up to 60 fruits, weighing 1.5 to 2 kg,” he explained.
Farmers and Agriculture Department officials have been visiting Venkat’s garden to learn about his cultivation methods and assess its potential for large-scale farming.
Recently, a Telangana Collector discussed the crop’s viability with Venkat, reflecting growing interest. The gac fruit, the spiny bitter gourd or baby jackfruit, is celebrated as a superfruit. Its beta-carotene content is up to 10 times more than carrots and 70 times more than tomatoes, promoting vision, skin health, and immunity.
Rich in vitamins E and C, it also has anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties, while its essential fatty acids enhance its health benefits.
Bodduluri Seshu Kumar of Ramiredii Palli in Nandigama mandal of NTR district, said “Venkat’s success with gac fruit highlights its potential as a lucrative crop for Andhra Pradesh. His efforts inspire other farmers like us to adopt innovative and sustainable farming practices while tapping into global demand for this superfood.”