Food - Drink
Which Country Produces The Most Jackfruit?
By CLAIRE REDDEN
Jackfruits are the largest tree-grown fruits in the world; a single fruit can weigh between 10 and 25 pounds, with a spikey green skin and yellow flesh inside. In the west, jackfruit has gained popularity as a plant-based alternative for meat, sold pre-cut and seasoned in some stores, but the fruit's biggest produce is in South Asia.
Jackfruit crops are drought-resistant and require little maintenance, and have been grown by coastal Indians and Southeast Asians for many years. While the fruits can thrive in locations such as Florida and the Pacific Islands, they are so abundant on the south coast of India that tonnes of them used to go to waste every year.
With the demand for jackfruits equalling over 100 metric tonnes each day in Tamil Nadu and Kerala alone, India is the largest producer of jackfruits in the world, providing 1.4 million tons. India is followed by Bangladesh, where jackfruit is considered the national fruit, and other major producers include Thailand, Indonesia, and Nepal.