By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) in collaboration with East Garo Hills District Basin Unit will organise a 2-day ‘Jackfruit Festival’ on July 11 and 12 under Meghalaya Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Promotion Program (MIBDLP).
According to East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Vijay Mantri, in the Detailed Project Report (DPR), an attempt was made to calculate the economical value of the rotting fruits.
“The figures are startling and in East Garo Hills, it’s coming to more than Rs 118 crore per season. In the entire Garo Hills, it’s coming to more than Rs 434 Crores per season,” Mantri informed.
“Jackfruit, the biggest organic fruit is one among our highly neglected food resource. It is paradoxical that Garo Hills wastes 80% of the fruits while people suffer from lack of proper nutrition and Income. As usual, this year also huge numbers of Jackfruits would be rotting under the tree, if proper interventions are not made,” Mantri said.
In this backdrop, it is proposed that a 2-day ‘Jack Fruit festival’ at Williamnagar will be conducted with an aim to create large scale awareness about the utility of the fruit as well as to explore and nurture the livelihood opportunities with jackfruit.
The main features of the Festival are Exhibition Stalls, 2-Day State Level Workshop on “Jack fruit- for local food security and Livelihood”, Cooking Competition of Jackfruit Products, Jackfruit Eating Competition, Biggest Jackfruit Competition and Seminar.
“This can also become a platform for setting world records, if possible. It is to be noted that the Guinness world record for the biggest jackfruit stands in the name of a Hawaiian farmer. However this weighed only 34.4 kg. Garo Hills has potential to beat this record if awareness is made through these kinds of festivals,” EGH DC stated.