Kerala to support farming of jamun, dragon fruit

They are among 10 fruits to be promoted by State Horticulture Mission under Centrally assisted scheme

Desi fruit Njaval, or jamun as it is called in many parts of India, and the flashy-looking dragon fruit which is native to the Americas are among ten indigenous and exotic fruits whose cultivation is being actively promoted by the State Horticulture Mission (SHM) this year. This is the first time that the Njaval (Syzygium cumini) has found a place on the mission’s list of fruit trees/plants whose cultivation would be supported under the Centrally assisted Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) of the National Horticulture Mission (NHM). Though ‘Njaval pazham’ is a familiar fruit which evokes sweet nostalgia for Keralites, farmers here have not explored its commercial possibilities to any great extent. Even today one would be hard-pressed to find this oblong, shiny-black, sour-sweet fruit, which leaves a purplish stain on the tongue, on sale in most fruit shops.