The biggest fruit on the planet, the jackfruit, the connector

Jack Douglas
Photo by Monica Aguayo

Almost 18 kg weighs this depicted jackfruit. Unsubstantiated reporting claims they can weigh as much as over 70kg, 80kg!? Four times as much as this 'wimpy' fruit! Anyone who tasted an excellent jackfruit is hooked by its characteristic smell and taste. It seeds and flesh are even reported to be aphrodisiacs, yet no scientific data yet to back it up. But who cares? This is a fruit in its own league. An insulting label like 'poor man's fruit' must be made up by fundamentalist grass worshipers who are too scared of its smell, because if there is one tree that we tree hugging fruitarkists like to praise it is this one. The jackfruit keeps us connecting to other people. We found this specimen (see photo) on the Agroshopping market under one of the ever expanding shopping malls of Asunción. According to the sales lady the fruit is an import from Brazil. Leaving us with the impression that fruits mature over a longer time of the year than here in Paraguay. Nevertheless we had no doubt about paying its hefty price although per kilo (less than one euro) it is a steal compared to the garbage that is sold in the supermarkets as food, but is actually stuffing. The same day we bought it we had a visit from Felix senior and junior. Although junior was busy with preparing his leave to Italy for his work as a circus acrobat he made time for this because he would want to witness his dad eat a vegan meal with us. We actually had to talk senior over to actually eat what Monica prepared with much dedication and skill. To our pleasant surprise he actually liked it a lot and wants to come back for more. Due to his enthusiasm we asked him if he knew things like Araucaria pine nuts, a tree of Brazil and Paraguay, that he never tasted before in his 65 years here. It was also his first for locally grown peacan nuts which he gladly devoured. In the kitchen he was shown the fresh bit still unripe giant jackfruit. A few weeks ago we planted a seedling in his weekend home in Paraguari after he was told of its taste by junior, who I had met through the jackfruit as well more than a year before, and wanted one badly. However he never tasted its fleshy, tasty insides yet! The conversation turned to jackfruits and we told him here in Paraguay it would probably never grow as back as this one. Senior countered us by saying he had seen biggies like this before. Right here in Paraguay! After which Moni started to interrupt his conversation repeatedly and insistently with: "where!?" Where!!? After continuing this game he grabbed his phone and called the friend with the jackfruit tree. The message back was that it had fruits! Almost mature so we agreed to visit and have a look. Next day I went to pick up senior and off we went. In the back of Eusebio's house there was a relatively young jackfruit tree of about seven or eight years. It didn't have as much bounty as the previous year which had 50 fruits but although there were less, the fruits where bigger. We were first allowed to harvest one that was already bursting out of its skin, a sure sign it was ready. Not that big but clearly ready to eat. Senior talked some more with his friend and pointed out one that he liked. I climbed up the ladder and checked it but said it was not close to maturity yet. Eusebio pointed to another one that had a skin that was turning to a more yellowish green. Having a look at it we decided to harvest it while pictures where taken. After the session the prized deliciousness was united with its Brazilian cousin in our kitchen. It can match it in size and weight, ladies and gentlemen. Growing Paraguayan jackfruit is not only possible, it is not maturing only in February/March, and not only small fruits but big as well! This knowledge makes us very happy because like in other places we can enjoy this aromatic candy for a longer time during the year if we grow trees that mature in different times. A matter of finding, sowing, planting and growing the right trees. Although we primarily grow this for our own appetite, the commercial potential on the Paraguayan market is there. When we bought two fruits from a market salesman on the Abasto market we bought one of the last ten or so of the hundred that he imported from Brazil. As far as we know this product is mainly still unknown and not grown commercially here, while most people love this fruit instantly as soon as they get to taste it. Generation two of our first source of jackfruit seeds is growing with young enthusiasm while the year old first generation are eager to be planted out in Fruitarky in Itá. The seeds of the new fruits that we have now for consumption will be the third and fourth kind of fruits that we will sow. Senior is still waiting for his moment to come by and taste the fresh fruit but we expect him back very soon and hungry!

Doug Fruitarky harvesting jackfruit in Eusebio's tree
Photo by Felix Salas

The first trees planted!

Our first tree planted in new soil, a sugar apple planted by Moni
Photo by Doug Fruitarky

We decided that a Sunday with the expectation of rain to come during the night was a good day to plant our first 'test' trees. The road to Itá via the usually busy Ruta 2 was a smooth sail without the usual police traps and road rage. Upon arrival we found no evidence of new cow activity on our land, our words of mouth and sign to stay out seem to work so far (but not for humans). Almost our land because we still have to make and sign a formal contract with our friend and current owner. But everything has its time here in Paraguay. We choose a couple of trees to plant (click on the names for more info): a sugar apple, a jackfruit, a flame tree, a Tropical almond, a candle nut, an avocado and a silk floss tree. Besides these we had four papaya seedlings with us which is not considered a tree (more about papaya and its importance to us in a later blog). Besides the tools for the job we carried a heavy big bulk bag filled with freshly shredded leaves and twigs for mulching. The soil was moist due to the heavy rains that fell earlier this week and digging was fairly easy for such bare, mistreated earth that visibly suffered from the drought during the summer under hungry bovines hoofs. My permaculture teacher Doug Crouch of Treeyopermaculture pressed one thing onto me before I dove in this endeavor: first plant the water, then the support trees, then the rest. So we went ahead against his advice, that we will take at heart, without a water system and without a whole bunch of support plants in place. For us it is a next step to see whether these trees can survive without pampering them. However most of these trees are fast growing trees and should do fairly well without a water hose and legumes around. Unfortunately the land is not free from leaf cutter ants so we will find out if our healthy, juicy looking, fresh trees will keep off their voracious radar. At the moment soil life seems virtually non existent in most of the place so fast growing, nitrogen fixing support plants is in the master plan. This week we must consult an artisan well expert that we found through an amigo to see if this if this water works is a viable option depending on the costs. Under a darkening sky we left the new residents behind, feeling hopeful and fulfilled. So much to learn, to know, to plan, to do.

 

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We want you for our army of tree planters!
Photo by Monica Aguayo