Mysuru: The Jackfruit Festival is back, celebrating one of India’s most nutritious and versatile fruits. Jackfruit, the fourth largest fruit crop in the country, is known for its rich medicinal and nutraceutical properties.

Packed with essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, this superfruit also boasts a low glycemic index, making it an excellent choice for health-conscious individuals.

Despite its benefits, jackfruit remains an underutilised and neglected crop. The Jackfruit Festival aims to change this narrative by promoting its commercial potential, preserving its diversity, and fostering value addition.

This year’s Jackfruit Festival will take place on May 3 and 4 at Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry in city from 10 am to 8 pm. Organised by Sahaja Samrudha  in collaboration with Rotary Club of Mysore West and Amul Organic – Rich Plus, the event promises to be an enriching experience for producers, consumers and enthusiasts alike.

The festival will be inaugurated by Krishnamurthy Beligere, a renowned poet and organic farmer tomorrow at 10 am.

Shivanapura Ramesh, a celebrated organic farmer, will preside over the event. The chief guests include Dr. Karunakaran, Principal Scientist and Head of the Central Horticultural Experimental Station, Hirehalli, Tumakuru, Manjunath Angadi, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department and T.N. Rangarajan from Amul Organic – Rich Plus.

Highlights of the Festival

Showcasing Jackfruit Diversity: Explore red, white and yellow-fleshed jackfruits from across Karnataka, renowned for their unique taste, texture and shape.

Jackfruit Food Bazaar: A culinary journey featuring innovative value-added products like jackfruit ice cream, jams, squashes, papads, halwa, kababs, holige, and dosa. Cooking demonstrations will showcase the versatility of jackfruit in traditional and modern recipes.

Seedlings Display and Sale: Choose from 25 unique jackfruit varieties, including Rudrakshi Halasu, Siddu, Shankara, Tubagere Halasu, Vietnam Super Early, and Chandra Halasu — rare red jackfruits from Karnataka.

Growers’ Market: Farmers from H.D. Kote, Periyapatna, Kollegal, Srirangapatna, Tiptur, Chikkanayakanahalli and Haveri will bring their best jackfruit produce and value-added products.

Competitions and Activities

• Jackfruit eating competition on May 4 at 2 pm.

• Jackfruit lifting and weight guessing competitions on  both days.

• Drawing competition for children and adults on May 3 at 2 pm. Participants can submit artwork reflecting jackfruit cultivation and culture.

Expert Training Sessions: A “Jackfruit Farming Training Programme” on May 3 at 11 am will guide farmers on selecting varieties, planting techniques, care and harvesting.

With over 50 groups participating, the event will also feature organic produce, millets, pulses, desi rice, cold-pressed oils and Bilwa (stone apple) juice and saplings.

For more details, contact Suhas on Mob: 94821-15495  or Manju on Mob: 95351-49520, according to G. Krishna Prasad of Sahaja Samrudha, Bengaluru.