Jackfruit Becomes a Source of Livelihood for Rural Youth in Nandapur

Nandapur:March, 7:  There was a time when jackfruits would ripen on trees and fall to the ground to rot. However, today jackfruit has become an important source of livelihood for rural youth. It has now emerged as a major economic support for young people in the region.
The tasty and high-quality jackfruit produced in Koraput district is in high demand outside the state. Many rural youths are engaged in collecting, packing, and marketing jackfruits, which has helped them become financially self-reliant. Earlier, jackfruit had little commercial value, so many fruits would ripen on the trees and eventually fall and decay on the ground.
But with the expansion of markets and increasing demand from other states, the situation has changed significantly. Now, truckloads of jackfruits are exported outside the state every day. In particular, youths from Nandapur and nearby villages have formed groups to carry out jackfruit trading.
Local farmers are also encouraged, as they are earning good money by selling jackfruits. Moreover, jackfruit is no longer consumed only as a raw fruit; it is also used to prepare chips, traditional cakes (pithas), and various food items, which has increased its market value.
According to local people, if government support and storage facilities are further improved, Koraput jackfruit could emerge as one of the state’s major economic crops in the future.