New Mumbai, August 13: During a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mithilesh Desai, a farmer and entrepreneur known as the ‘Jackfruit King’ from Ratnagiri, discussed the potential for promoting jackfruit cultivation, processing, and value-added products across the country.
This discussion took place at the wedding reception of Revati Sule, daughter of NCP (SP) leader and MP Supriya Sule. Desai shared that he had a 12-13 minute conversation with the Prime Minister, where he elaborated on various jackfruit varieties, their utility, and the innovations made in this sector over the years.
In an interview with a news agency, Desai mentioned that he had the opportunity to meet PM Modi at a family event of the Pawar family on Wednesday. He described the conversation as very positive, noting that the Prime Minister showed significant interest in jackfruit cultivation and related activities.
Desai presented various products made from jackfruit to the Prime Minister and explained how jackfruit can be developed not just as a fruit, but as a major agricultural industry with value-added products.
He highlighted that his father has been working in the jackfruit sector for nearly 30 years, while he has been actively involved for the past 12-13 years. During this time, his team has conducted numerous experiments and innovations in jackfruit cultivation, processing, and related products. He provided the Prime Minister with documents related to his work, which PM Modi reviewed with interest, asking several questions to understand the potential of the sector.
Desai noted that key products made from jackfruit include jackfruit flour and jackfruit seed flour. He explained that jackfruit flour can be used as a dietary option for diabetics, while flour made from jackfruit seeds can serve as a source of protein.
Upon learning about these products, the Prime Minister expressed particular interest and engaged in discussions about their production, usage, and potential markets.
Desai stated that PM Modi appreciated his efforts to integrate agriculture and technology and encouraged him to continue his work.
He mentioned that his team has been working in this field for a long time and has now begun to organize their efforts into a structured platform. This includes establishing a private limited company to attract private investment and develop jackfruit-based businesses on a larger scale.
Desai aims to develop jackfruit as an organized agricultural crop throughout India. He hopes that various jackfruit products and by-products can be made available across different states. He emphasized that with government support and appropriate policy backing, a significant agricultural cluster for jackfruit could be developed in India. This would not only provide farmers with better prices for their produce but also create job opportunities in processing, packaging, transportation, and other sectors.
He added that with private investment and government collaboration, jackfruit cultivation and related industries could be advanced in an organized manner, enhancing farmers’ incomes and strengthening the agriculture-based economy.
Desai remarked that this meeting at the Pawar family event provided him with a crucial opportunity to showcase his work on a national level. He expressed optimism that if initiatives are taken to develop jackfruit as an organized agricultural crop, it could greatly benefit farmers, the food processing industry, and the rural economy. He concluded by stating that integrating agriculture, technology, and processing could transform jackfruit into a significant economic opportunity in India.
Leave a Comment