State: Assam
District: Sonitpur
ODOP Product: Jackfruit Based Products
Category: Traditional Food, Local Agriculture & Rural Entrepreneurship
There are certain foods that instantly transport you to the place you grew up in. The aroma wafting from the kitchen and the rustic flavors from the grandmother’s kitchen are always dear to us.
Food is deeply entangled with the nature and seasons in Assam. The people used to rely on produce from the land, water bodies, forests and the agricultural produce around them.
In Sonitpur, the age-old relationship between the agriculture and the food can be seen through the lens of the ordinary but wonderful jackfruit
.
Under the ODOP scheme, the Jackfruit Based Products have been identified as an important product from Sonitpur. The area presents a unique opportunity to transform traditional food items into the modern organized value-added products with due processing and preservation methods as a means to an end, and to develop the traditional food culture.
The Two Flavors of Jackfruit:
One of the endearing qualities of this fruit is that it is versatile.
While the ripe jackfruit is known for its rich flavor, the unripe jackfruit can be used in a wide range of traditional savory preparations.
Thus, it can fulfill two desires of a consumer, at two different stages of the fruit, without any wastage. With appropriate processing, it can be made into many innovative products, besides being used as a vegetable and fruit in different seasons and parts of the day.
The Jackfruit in the Old Assamese Kitchen:
The old Assamese kitchen is a wonderful example of sustainable and resourceful living.
The Assamese used to practice conservation methods, and relied mainly on the local produce from the backyard, farms, ponds, forests, etc.
Jackfruit used to be one such produce that was immensely popular with the Assamese people.
The large tree usually bore a lot of fruits, from which the ripe ones were plucked and used as is, while the unripe ones were cooked.
Thus, a single tree used to cater to the entire family’s requirement of nutrition in two forms – fruit and vegetable.
This is an excellent example of a zero-waste policy.
The Raw Jackfruit as a Vegetable:
The unripe jackfruit was used as a vegetable by the Assamese, and was cooked in a variety of traditional ways known to the region.
It can be cut and stir-fried with simple spices to go with rice and other traditional preparations like dal, greens and fish.
The traditional Assamese meals are a wholesome affair and consist of rice as the staple food, with a variety of vegetables, curry, and fish.
A traditional jackfruit preparation fits right in with the rest of the meal.
The versatility and the high fiber content of this vegetable is what makes it special.
The Ripe Jackfruit and the Simple Village Delicacy:
As the name suggests, the ripe jackfruit has a uniquely intense flavor that is rich in aroma.
This makes it perfect for the most basic of preparations – ripe jackfruit can simply be eaten raw with the family.
Sometimes, the best flavors and memories come from the most simple of dishes.
The ripe jackfruit can be plucked and shared with the entire family without any special preparation.
In this way, it becomes a part of rural memories and the simple village food culture.
It is the epitome of the local produce and is a delight for the senses.
The Jackfruit in the Assamese Rice Meals:
Rice is the staple food of the Assamese, and their traditional meals usually revolve around rice and a variety of other dishes made from local produce.
The raw jackfruit can be cut, seasoned and cooked simply with rice to make a traditional Assamese-style meal.
It provides a healthy, wholesome and satisfying dish with absolutely no extra effort. The preparation can be modified and improved with the help of more seasoning and spices.
The simplicity and ease of preparation is the hallmark of traditional Assamese cooking. Everything is made with local produce and kept as simple as possible.
The traditional Assamese cuisine is an example of how the local food and ingredients can be combined to make a delightful array of dishes.
The Traditional Seasonal Flavors:
The traditional food was dependent on the local seasonal availability of the produce.
Fruits and vegetable were consumed and prepared in a variety of ways when they were available, and preserved for later use when they were not.
This is how the traditional Assamese kitchen operated – and jackfruit is a perfect example of this.
A single tree can yield a lot of fruits that can be used in multiple ways.
The ripe jackfruit can be eaten as is while the raw ones can be cooked as a vegetable.
Some of the excess can be preserved for future use.
The seasonal and local produce-based meals are gaining popularity these days due to their healthy and sustainable benefits.
Why Jackfruit Based Products are a Great ODOP Product ?
With the jackfruit being identified under the ODOP, it creates new opportunities for value-added products derived from it. As mentioned before, the ripe jackfruit can be eaten fresh, which makes the raw jackfruit-based products non-seasonal and more transport-friendly.
There are several jackfruit-based products that can be manufactured for the local as well as national market.
They can be:
Raw jackfruit pickle
Ripe jackfruit products
Jackfruit chips
Dried jackfruit
Jackfruit jam, pulp, and sweets,
Jackfruit-based snacks,
Ready-to-cook raw jackfruit,
Jackfruit flour,
Traditional jackfruit preserve,
etc.
These products would be ideal for the ODOP, and would give the local producers a chance to utilize the raw jackfruit to its maximum potential.
The Value-Added Opportunities for the Local Farmers:
Sometimes, it is not easy for the local farmers to sell their produce.
The value of raw jackfruit may not seem appealing to the buyers.
But with the help of value-added methods, the farmers can not only supplement their income, but also contribute to the local economy.
The local producers or processing units can set up shops to sell the jackfruit-based products.
This would create employment for the people in:
Collecting the fruits,
Sorting and washing,
Cutting,
Drying,
Cooking,
Packaging,
Storing,
Transporting,
and
Marketing the jackfruit-based products.
Thus, the economic benefits from such an initiative can trickle down to almost every level.
Opportunities for Women Self-Help Groups:
The jackfruit processing can also be a great opportunity for women self-help groups.
Small-scale processing and manufacturing of jackfruit-based products can be ideal for such groups.
The women can prepare jackfruit pickle, chips, preserves, etc., using the traditional recipes.
The local producers can enhance the commercial value by packaging the jackfruit-based products with care and keeping track of food safety standards.
Small women’s groups can start by tapping into local resources and selling the jackfruit products at local markets, fairs, etc. They can gradually scale up and sell their products in mainstream markets, retail stores, online and other platforms by building their brand image.
This is great for jackfruit-based products because, as mentioned earlier, the traditional recipes are usually passed down through informal means and are difficult to document.
The commercialization of these products can create an incentive to not only preserve but also promote these time-honored recipes.
It also creates a unique niche for the jackfruit-based products that have come from the very heart of the Assamese food culture.
Preserving the Traditional Recipes:
As mentioned before, the traditional jackfruit recipes are at risk of being lost forever.
The old jackfruit curry may not have a written recipe or exact measurements, but the one who prepares it knows the amount of oil, salt, and spices required just by looking at the jackfruit.
That is the kind of knowledge that needs to be preserved and shared with future generations so that one day they can also relish that special jackfruit curry that has been a tradition.
The commercialization of traditional jackfruit-based products can create this avenue for preserving these valuable bits of information.
It can encourage the locals to document and share the information.
At the same time, it can also help the new entrepreneurs with unique branding and marketing ideas for the jackfruit-based products.
The Traditional Jackfruit Gift Item:
Sometimes, a simple gift item can capture the essence of a place, rather beautifully.
The jackfruit-based products can be great gift items for Sonitpur. The visitors can shop for these unique and traditional jackfruit delicacies and take them back with them as exclusive mementos of the place they visited.
For instance, there can be jackfruit pickles, dried jackfruit, jackfruit chips, etc. The jackfruit-based products can be creatively packaged to tell the consumers a story of the jackfruit origin, its preparation, and its connection to the traditional Assamese kitchen.
Thus, it can be a great way to both promote and preserve the jackfruit-based traditional food culture of Assam.
Tourism & Food Culture:
Sonitpur is known for tourism, as well as the local agriculture. But what if the traditional jackfruit-based food can become a new attraction?
Food is the thing that makes the most long-lasting memories, right?
The traditional Assamese jackfruit curry can help people connect with Assam’s culture on a deeper level, rather than just visiting its tourist spots or shopping for souvenirs.
The local jackfruit-based stalls, shops, and ODOP counters can provide the visitors with a true taste of local culture and cuisine.
This, in turn, can open up new promotional and marketing avenues for these products, as well as provide opportunities for local producers.
Building the Local Brand Image for Jackfruit-Based Products:
For the jackfruit-based products, it is important to build a strong local brand image.
It can start small and simple with catchy names like
Jackfruit from Sonitpur, Assam’
for some products, and informative ones for others.
It is essential to highlight the local connection and origin, as well as the quality and food safety assurance, so that the jackfruit-based products stand out from the competition. In fact, now that people are looking for unique and healthy products, an authentic local product can be quite popular and profitable.
But it is important to remember that the quality and consistency of the jackfruit-based products should not be compromised for the sake of branding and marketing. Good branding can build the trust of the consumers, while good manufacturing practices will keep them coming back.
The Way Forward:
The jackfruit-based products from Sonitpur can become a successful brand, with due care and attention. But how?
Well, the journey can begin with the humble jackfruit. The jackfruit can either come from the local farmers or even your own backyard. The local jackfruit can be transformed into chips by a neighborhood unit. The jackfruit can be pickled by a local women’s group and then sold in the local market. The jackfruit can be sent to your friend across the country so that he/she can also enjoy the unique flavor of Sonitpur jackfruit! Thus, the ODOP can be the platform for turning local produce and traditional cuisine into a thriving business.
The Future of Jackfruit Based Products:
The future of traditional jackfruit-based food items can be bright.
Jackfruit curry can continue to be a staple dish that is prepared in traditional ways in the Assamese households.
At the same time, the raw jackfruit can be sliced, dried and transformed into jackfruit chips.
The jackfruit pickle can become a local specialty that will be sold across the state, while the dried jackfruit can be sent to other parts of the country. And jackfruit pulp can be the raw material for jackfruit-based sweets and other products.
The future of the jackfruit-based products can be promising, as long as the connection to the original jackfruit is maintained.
Conclusion:
Sonitpur’s Jackfruit Based Products are truly an adorable confluence of traditional cuisine, local agriculture, and entrepreneurship. Jackfruit has been an important part of Assamese lifestyle for ages. The ripe jackfruit used to be eaten fresh, while the unripe jackfruit has been the source of many traditional Assamese curries and dishes of the region. Such sustainable and resourceful practices of the Assamese kitchen have been the hallmark of the Assamese food culture for ages. But now, with the introduction of the one district one product (ODOP) scheme, it is time to take the jackfruit-based tradition to a higher level. With due processing, preservation, packaging, branding and other steps, Sonitpur’s jackfruit-based tradition can become a huge source of income for the local farmers, local women’s groups as well as entrepreneurs. But while doing so, it is necessary to pay special attention to the unique traditional food culture and sustainability. Jackfruit-based products can not only be a means to economic development but also be the ambassadors of the age-old Assamese culture. After all, the jackfruit product on the table can also be a token of the village and the traditional Assamese kitchen.
