A Jackfruit tree can survive in most environments in Uganda.
This is why jackfruit trees are seen in nearly every part of the country, with Busoga, Luwero and Mityana as the leading producers.
However, at the moment, other than the trees that grew by themselves, few farmers deliberately plant jackfruit.
And yet, jackfruits are a money maker. In most urban areas, five to 10 fingers of the fruit goes for sh1,000. One big fruit costs as much as sh10,000.
On average, a fruit can grow to as high as 100 feet, while others can grow to only 10 to 20 feet height. Jackfruit tree has a long life of more than 100 years. A mature tree can bear to many as 100 fruits every year.
If these are sold commercially, one can earn sh1m.
There are several ways of planting jackfruit trees. It can be planted directly from seeds. It can also be propagated from stems, but it is rather a difficult method, which is why seed germination is preferred. For this, take large seeds from fully ripe fruit and wash them in warm water.
Sow the seeds immediately in fertile soils and when they sprout after over two months, they can be transplanted to the farm.
Dig a 3×3 feet hole. needs to apply compost manure in the holes before planting. Make sure that the plant receives direct sunshine.
Do regular pruning to retain tree’s height below 20 feet. When it grows above 12 feet tall, reduce its main trunk to eight feet to encourage the growth of dense branches. Jackfruit tree produces fruit after three to four years.
The fruits ripen after two to three months. One interesting fact about jackfruits is that none of them resembles the other. Ripe fruits are sweet, aromatic and fibrous, which can be eaten alone or used in making juices, wines, dried fruits, cakes and ice cream.
