Guide to growing jackfruit – a powerhouse of nutrient values!
Jackfruit is a popular tropical fruit with a meat-like texture having versatile culinary uses. As a result, jackfruit farming has become the most common point of interest among gardeners & farmers. With the right agro practices, farmers & growers can earn a profit of up to Rs 59,500 to Rs 3 Lakhs a year.
Jackfruit is also known as Artocarpus heterophyllous and is most popular for growing in tropical regions.
Interested in cultivating this crop? Before delving into the growing guide, let’s help you understand the uses and benefits of jackfruit. Further, we will unfold the technical factors you need to grow & harvest this traditional fruit, followed by estimated production cost and revenue.
Uses of Jackfruit
These meat-like jackfruits are highly versatile and have many culinary and therapeutic uses. Besides being consumed as a culinary vegetable, it makes up a great spice, herb, and sauce. Moreover, its neutral flavour allows it to be a part of salads, desserts, and curries. Furthermore, they also can be roasted for eating as a chestnut.
Jackfruit Farming Benefits
Other Benefits of Jackfruit
- Jackfruit leaves hold tremendous benefits that can aid skin diseases.
- The tree can further be used to create ropes & clothes.
- The durable and heavy wood from the jackfruit tree is useful in making furniture, construction & musical systems.
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Technical Factors for Jackfruit Cultivation in India – Guide for Beginners!
Let’s now delve into the technical factors required to grow high-quality and yielding jackfruit varieties in India.
1. Soil Requirements
Jackfruit requires deep, sandy loam to clay loam soils with a pH between 5 to 6.5. Moreover, they should have good fertility and drainage properties. Maintaining the required soil is crucial as these fruits require a heavy nutrient profile to thrive.
To grow high-yielding jackfruit, you would require enough sunlight, fertile and well-drained soil. These nutritious fruits can survive even in slightly acidic conditions. So, while choosing a planting site, ensure you go for a sunny location facing south.
A tropical or subtropical climate, having a temperature above 15°C (59°F), is suitable for growing this crop. Furthermore, if you live in a cooler climate, consider growing the types of jackfruit in India in the greenhouse for better results.
Pruning of Jackfruit Trees
Timely pruning of the plant is essential to maintain a healthy, strong & high-yielding jackfruit tree that produces a nutritive & tasty fruit. Remove any diseased, damaged, or dead branches to promote further growth & improve air circulation and sunlight absorption.
2. Climate Conditions
For growing this fruit, the temperature should be warm and humid, with temperatures ranging between 21-32°C. This fruit is capable of tolerating heavy spells of droughts for a limited time. However, during hot or dry spells, they would need frequent watering.
3. Sowing & Planting Spacing
Jackfruit requires optimum spacing as they reach up to a height of 30-70 feet and spread widely up to 20-50 feet. Moreover, the plant-to-plant distance should be between 20-30 feet with ample scope to receive sunlight.
Before you transplant, prune 2/3rd of the seedling’s leaves without damaging the delicate root system.
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4. Propagation Methods for Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a highly flexible fruit that can be propagated through various methods:
| Seed Germination | You can use seed trays to plant healthy seeds from mother trees. Make sure to add compost and soil mix into the tray. |
| Grafting | Fuse a cutting from a healthy jackfruit tree on top of the rootstock of a young tree. This will help in improving productivity and yield. |
| Air-Layering | You can root a branch when it’s still attached to the parent tree. Make sure this root system develops before you cut or replant it. |
| Container Growing | When growing jackfruit through containers, add well-drained soil and provide full sun and choose a south facing location. |
| Planting in Ground | When planting from the ground, grow jackfruit in large containers of about 15 gallons or more. Add high-quality potting mix and provide enough water & light. |
5. Irrigation & Watering
Jackfruits are tropical fruits and need moist soil throughout the year. Constant watering is important to keep the soil moist, especially when rainfall is scarce. Moreover, make sure to avoid flooding the field, as it causes the root to rot. Flooding can as well kill the plant and hamper the fruit’s production.
6. Fertilization Schedule
These nutritive tropical fruits require heavy nutrients to thrive. Thus, the application of a balanced fertiliser schedule is important. During the growing season, right after the second year of planting, the N:P:K in the ratio of 10-10-10 every 6-8 weeks is important to add. Adding organic fertilisers like farmyard manure or compost can help increase soil fertility.
7. Harvesting Jackfruit
Within 3-5 years of planting, Jackfruits are ready to harvest. If the last leaf on the stalk starts appearing yellow & dull and has well-developed spines and a hollow sound upon tapping, note that they are ready to harvest.
Note — Try contacting your local horticulture unit or nursery to help you choose the best jackfruit variety that suits your region and goals.
Other Jackfruit Varieties – Famous Worldwide
- Black Gold – Medium-sized fruit having high yield.
- Gold Nugget – Small fruits with high yield.
- Dang Rasimi – Medium to large fruits with high yields.
- Kun Wi Chan – Large fruit providing high yield.
- Lemon Gold – Have small to medium fruits with an average yield.
How to Control Pest and Diseases in Jackfruit?
Jackfruit trees are tolerant to pests and diseases to some level. However, they can attract infestation from twig borers, fruit flies, and bark borers. The growers should opt for pest & disease management practices like:
- Use of neem oil to deter the pests
- Adding ladybugs or parasitic wasps can help keep pests at bay.
Additionally, pink disease (a kind of fungal disease) is preventable through sprays of sulfur fungicides and branches affected by pruning during the rainy season.
Tips to Take Care of Jackfruit Tree
If you wish to grow high-yielding varieties of jackfruit in India, make sure you keep up with the following agro-practices:
- Watering: Ensure the soil is moist and doesn’t clog the water for too long.
- Fertilizing: For healthy fruit production, apply balanced N:P:K and organic farmyard manure.
- Pruning: Remove unnecessary twigs and branches whenever possible for better fruit production.
- Pest Control: Look for twig borers, fruit flies, and bark borers and apply natural pesticides to prevent them.
- Climate Protection: Avoid growing jackfruit in the open when the climate is cool, as they will grow with frost cover. Ensure you grow them in greenhouses.
Jackfruit is More Than Just a Fruit!
Cultivating Jackfruit has many benefits, as farmers can earn streams of income. Beyond commercially trading this cash crop as edible fruit in the market, they can sell its other part for more gains.
- This tree’s latex makes up for very good glue or paste.
- Jackfruit leaves are a good option for animal fodder and creating medicines.
- Jackfruit tree wood is suitable for making furniture, musical or construction instruments.
Weeding & Mulching
Eliminating the weed from jackfruit trees is important to prevent other plants from leaching its water or nutrients from the soil. Moreover, adding a layer of mulch around the tree can help in removing the weeds, as well as retaining moisture and keeping roots warm during colder climates.
Profit from Jackfruit Cultivation
- The total average yield from an acre of land = 20,000 kg
- Average price/fruit = Rs. 10
- Total Revenue/Earnings (Yield X Avg. price) = Rs 200,000
- Profit after expenses = Rs 59,500
With the right practices, you can attain a yield of 30 tonnes from an acre of land. Moreover, you can increase your jackfruit farming profit, potentially nearly to 3 Lakhs per year. Also, note that the expenses in the first year can appear high. But, you will start seeing a major profit increase after the 5th or 6th year.
They are Sustainable for the Environment!
Jackfruit trees are good for the environment. You can produce almost 200 fruits per year. And this amount doubles as the tree matures further. Moreover, the best part is, they can thrive in high heat and are drought-tolerant. Meaning they are a great option to grow in areas where climate change is a big thing!
Final Thoughts!
Jackfruit farming is a highly nutritious, versatile and sustainable fruit crop that can be easily grown through multiple propagation methods. The best thing is these fruits can thrive in drought conditions, even in high temperatures.
Another best part is that you can earn a good profitable income. Suppose if you invest one time at a cost of Rs 140,500; in return, you can make a good income of up to Rs 59,500 (in the first year). Gradually, you can expand your profit up to Rs 3 lakh.
Also, make sure you add up new farm tractors and implements to add to farming yield and profit.
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Frequently Asked Questions on Jackfruit Farming!
Que. What are jackfruit seeds benefits?
Ans. Jackfruit seeds are rich in dietary fibre and B-complex vitamins. These seeds also contain resistant starch that helps in controlling the blood sugar & keeping the gut healthy.
Que. Which is the most popular variety of jackfruit in India?
Ans. Dang Rasimi, having sharp spines, is the best jackfruit variety in India.
Que. What are the benefits of jackfruit?
Ans. Jackfruit is rich in dietary fibre, minerals & vitamins.
Que. What are the types of jackfruits in India?
Ans. India mainly has two popular jackfruit varieties such as – muttomvarikka and sindoor.
Que. How much is jackfruit farming profit?
Ans. You can earn a profit of up to Rs 59,500 from an acre of land in the first year.
Que. What is the ideal jackfruit season in India?
Ans. Jackfruit matures from July to August in India. It gives the best results when planted in spring.
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