Temperature 31.05 C New Delhi, IN
Thursday, March 28, 2024
No Image

Nutrient-rich jackfruit products from Kerala head for Melbourne

New Delhi, Oct 6: Nutrient-rich products derived from jackfruit, passion fruit and nutmeg and produced by farmers in India is set to satiate the appetite of Australians looking for a healthy diet.

The first consignment of the delicacies sources from farmers in Thrissur, Kerala were despatched to Melbourne on October 5 under an initiative of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). These products have a shelf life of more than one year.

APEDA is promoting exports of value-added and health products as part of Narendra Modi’s aim of achieving USD 400 billion in merchandise exports by 2021-22.

Consumer choice and preference are seemingly shifting towards healthy food and gluten-free products prepared from healthy options like Jackfruit, Passion fruit has proved to be a viable alternative against the consumption of fast food.

Dr M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA and T V Subhash, Director of Agriculture, Kerala, Exporter and Importer along with other officials of APEDA took part in the virtual flag-off ceremony held o the occasion.

Jackfruit, declared the state fruit of Kerala in March 2018, is dense in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Tropical fruit is the popular meat substitute among vegans due to its protein content.

In addition to the use of fruit, seed and pulp, Jackfruit leaves, bark, inflorescence and latex are used in traditional medicines too.

“With the growing awareness of health and nutritional properties of the fruit and sustained efforts of Jackfruit farmers and entrepreneurs across the country, it is anticipated that the Jackfruit will definitely become the most sought-after fruit in the coming years,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The major export destinations of Jackfruit are Singapore, Nepal, Qatar and Germany among other countries.

Passion fruit is a nutritious tropical fruit rich in antioxidants, vitamins and fibre. It is a beneficial fruit with a healthful nutrition profile important for skin, vision & immune system. Because of the richness, massive market potential, and unlimited number of benefits that these fruits provide, there are huge opportunities for expanding exports with its innovative products, the statement said.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *