Jackfruit is one of the most delicious tropical fruits out there but did you know that few people are involved in jackfruit farming in the Philippines?
Wonderful! This is what makes you laugh when you see for the first time the fruit of jackfruit (jackfruit) without resin.
Apart from the millions of jackfruit trees in the world – the latex-less jackfruit is the only jackfruit seed that when the fruit is opened has no resin (latex) to stick to the hand and knife. Even more amazing when you taste the orange crumb that is so sweet. Very delicious dessert. Also, the fiber between the pulp is orange and sweet so it is also edible and nothing is thrown away.
Ripe jackfruit is usually resinous and yellow. Some seeds are not sweet and have little pulp-edible flesh). So many do not want to plant because there are no good seed crops. Besides, jackfruit seeds take six to eight years to bear fruit. If the joint will take 4 – 5 years to bear fruit from planting.
For more than a decade now, the unique seed without sap has come from Malaysia, brought by a Malaysian who married a Filipina. In Malaysia, this step is called Chee Kong. But it is not propagated by asexual propagation so the characteristics of the new crops are the same as the original tree without the resin and the orange color is crunchy and very sweet.
Latexless jackfruit seeds were planted because it is difficult to attach jackfruit even to natives. So since Chee Kong jackfruit has spread the seeds of the fruit of many crops, the fruit has had resin, the pulp has also turned yellow and the type of fruit is not as sweet as the original orange color.
Let’s talk about jackfruit farming in the Philippines
According to pomologists or experts in fruit trees around the world, the propagation of high-quality seeds is done by attaching a branch of a fruit tree (scion) to a seedling native from a seed. If seeds are used, the new tree may be different from the original tree and other seeds. Moreover, the process of creating a new seed from seeds is time-consuming and will count for years because the seeds will still bear fruit, and then select a tree that will bear good fruit for several years.
Propagation of Jackfruit Without Resin
To ensure that the fruit of the jackfruit to be planted is free of resin and has a very sweet pulp, the method should be to join the branches from the original Chong Kee mother tree. The leaf of the latex-less jackfruit is quite round and wide when attached and if it comes from the seed it becomes oblong and narrow which means that it is a different seed and not the original one, there will be resin and the pulp will turn yellow.
Sprout native jackfruit and if one and a half feet it attaches to the parent end of the branch (scion). Make double rootstock for faster growth, resistance to phytophthora root rot, and be fruitful.
Planting Jackfruit
Jackfruit sprouts easily so anywhere in the yard or the field you can see them one by one jackfruit trees. To make it easy to grow and bear fruit for 2 years, the step without resin should be planted.
Plant in a sunny place. Jackfruit can be substituted for guyabano, Davao pomelo, coffee, and lanzones. Dig two feet wide and 2 feet deep. Mix organic fertilizer with the topsoil and if the soil is sticky, mix it with a sack of chaff to make it porous. Apply basal or sedimentary fertilizer to the bottom of the hole with 20 tablespoons of match fertilizer for the root to bend and the branches to grow. Cover the hole with good soil and plant jackfruit on top.
Fertilizer Application
Apply 16 – 20 – 0 (75 %) and ammonium sulfate 25 % every three months to speed up growth. In the first application of manure is a span away from the tree of the manure hole. Make four holes around the tree, using a sharp rod 2-4 inches deep. Add a tablespoon of compost mixture to each hole. In the second or third month, do not put fertilizer in the old hole so as not to hurt the root. As it grows, more and more fertilizer should be applied and away from the tree.
When fertilizing, complete fertilizer (14-14-14) with micronutrients is applied to make it bear fruit. Chee Kong can bear fruit after 2 years and if attached to the native it is four years before it bears fruit.
Add 17-0-17 if there are flowers or buds to make the fruit grow and sweeten. Chee Kong is already sweet but the fruit grows even bigger when paired with 17-0-17.
How do you know if jackfruit is ripe? The skin color of the fruit will change from green to yellow and there will be an odor.
Pest Control
For the fruit to continue and no longer need pesticides, the fruit should be wrapped in a sack when it is still in its infancy to prevent pest infestation.
Common Questions about Jackfruit Farming in the Philippines
How many jackfruit trees can be planted per hectare?
Jackfruits can be planted with a density ranging from a minimum of 70 to a maximum of 180 trees per hectare, this is equivalent to an annual yield potential of 4.9-18 tons per hectare.
What is jackfruit yield per hectare? Is jackfruit farming profitable?
Jackfruit farming is highly profitable with low inputs especially if the plantation is managed and cleaned regularly.
As of 2022, the price of ripe jackfruit per kilo in Malvar, Batangas is around P20 at Farmgate. A 6 to 10-year-old tree can produce at least 200 kilos of jackfruit in a year or revenue of P4,000. A hectare of jackfruit can provide revenue of P280,000 to P720,000 or more per season with minimal costs.
Where is jackfruit grown in the Philippines?
Most jackfruits are from the Bicol Region, especially in Albay but Batangas also produces a lot of jackfruits, especially in the town of Malvar.
How long does it take for a jackfruit tree to bear fruit?
If all goes well after the third or fourth year your tree will begin developing edible fruit. It will take another 4 to 5 months (potentially up to 8 months) for the young fruit to ripen.
What month is jackfruit season in the Philippines?
Ripe jackfruit in the Philippines is usually available from March to May.
What climate does jackfruit grow best?
Well, first of all, you need to live in a humid tropical to near tropical climate. Growing jackfruit trees are extremely sensitive to frost and cannot abide drought. They flourish in rich, deep, and somewhat porous soil.
What is the lifespan of a jackfruit tree?
Jackfruit trees are perennials and can produce fruit for 30–60 years. The tree itself can live up to 100 years.
Where is the best place for planting jackfruit?
Jackfruit trees will do best in sandy or loamy soils with a higher pH soil. Learn how to adjust soil pH in your garden. Provide full sun. Jackfruit trees will perform best with full, direct sunlight, so choose a location that is free of shade.
How much is a kilo of jackfruit in the Philippines?
In 2021, the average farmgate price of ripe jackfruit in the Philippines was 20.50 Philippine pesos per kilo. This reflects an increase from the previous year’s average price of about 18.51 Philippine pesos per kilo. The market price, however, ranges from P40 to as high as P60 per kilo.
Is jackfruit drought-resistant?
The jackfruit tree is drought-resistant. It’s easy to grow. It needs the least attention but yields abundant fruits. It withstands pests and diseases.