Thiruvananthapuram, Thursday 2 May 2011: As part of the National Jackfruit Festival-2011, a mega exhibition of the fruit will be held at Kanakakunnu Palace here from June 4 to 6.

At least 68 varieties of jackfruit dishes, right from soups to desserts, await gourmets at the fest. The three-day-long jackfruit fest is a concerted effort by a group of organisations and local bodies to introduce jackfruit as a means to achieve local food security.

Announcing the fest at a press meet here, Mayor K Chandrika said that jackfruit is largely available in our homes, but is hugely neglected. But it can give us some of the tasty dishes, she said. That it grows without the use of fertilizers or manure is its strong point, she said.

To do its bit, the City Corporation has decided to be a part of the national fest and promote the planting of jackfruit throughout the district with the cooperation of the District Panchayat. ‘’Around one lakh jackfruit saplings would be planted in the city as part of the fest and also to mark the World Environment Day, which falls on June 5,’’ said G Happykumar, Deputy Mayor.

The food fest would be inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas.