jackfruit value-addition success in Kolhapur shows how turning waste into wealth can spark rural transformation and strong income-

Kolhapur, Nov.06,2025:jackfruit value-addition success is exactly what two brothers, Tejas Pawar and Rajesh Pawar, have achieved in the Gaganbavda tehsil of Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. Growing up in a region awash with jackfruit trees, they witnessed repeat cycles of surplus fruit-fall, farmer losses and wasted potential. They decided to convert that waste into wealth by transforming surplus jackfruit into value-added products. This article walks through how they did it — and why their success is so instructive-

climatic challenge, waste and opportunity

In the Pawar family’s home village, the problem was plain: jackfruit trees bore abundant fruit every year, yet prices collapsed, the cost of harvest and transport exceeded returns and many farmers simply threw fruit away. The fruit’s seasonal glut and perishability meant large-scale wastage. According to a project profile by Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), 30–34% of jackfruit produced in India may go waste because of lack of harvesting, storage and processing infrastructure.

For Tejas and Rajesh Pawar, seeing that recurring waste ignited an idea. Drawing inspiration from a relative’s suggestion — that jackfruit could be made into chips — they decided to act, turning a challenge into business.

the pivotal decision and early experiment

The venture began modestly: with around 15 kg of jackfruit chips made in the village, sold house-to-house in Kolhapur. Encouraged by early positive response, in 2023, after Tejas completed his ITI training, they decided to commercialise. They invested in basic machines for cutting and packaging, aimed at supplying wholesale and retail channels.

They sought to ensure that the value-addition process remained lean and clean: their chips use only three ingredients — jackfruit, coconut oil, salt — with no artificial colours or preservatives. And they ventured into traditional Maharashtrian sweets too, producing “fanas poli” from ripe jackfruit, sold at premium price.

Thus the core of their landmark jackfruit value-addition success lay in converting a local surplus into differentiated, high-value products with clear positioning in health- and convenience-oriented markets.

scaling up and commercialising the venture

Scaling from a home-experiment to a commercial manufacturing plant required multiple strategic moves-

1. Establishing procurement from local farmers: The brothers set up agreements with farmers in their village and neighbouring tehsil (Radhanagari) to buy jackfruit at ₹30–70 per kg, a rate that gave farmers immediate cash and addressed the supply side of jackfruit value-addition success.
2. Processing economics: They process ~4,000 kg of raw jackfruit annually to yield ~1,000 kg of chips (roughly a 4:1 ratio). They sell chips at ₹900 up to ₹10,000 per kg depending on quality/market, and sweets at ~₹700/kg. This kind of product-differentiation illustrates the deep margin potential behind jackfruit value-addition success.
3. Product expansion and branding: The business plans to set up an automated manufacturing plant and launch additional products such as jackfruit papad, jackfruit laddoo etc.—a classic example of how jackfruit value-addition success grows through product line extension.
4. Timing and market alignment: Their expansion taps into rising trends — jackfruit as vegan and gluten-free alternative to meat, increasing awareness of high-fiber, vitamin-rich tropical fruits — all contributing to the environment in which jackfruit value-addition success can thrive.

Globally, the jackfruit market is forecast to grow significantly: for example, the global jackfruit market size was valued at USD 543.1 million in 2024 and expected to reach USD 781.8 million by 2034, at a CAGR of ~3.5%. In India too, the export volume of jackfruit exceeded 26.66 million kg in 2023-24 with further growth expected. These macro-trends reinforce the viability underpinning the Pawar brothers’ jackfruit value-addition success.

impact on farmers and rural economy

An essential dimension of the jackfruit value-addition success story lies in its socio-economic impact-

By buying fruit that would otherwise go wasted, the business offers farmers a stable income source and reduces crop loss.

• The employment of harvesting teams to collect fruit from 30–70 ft tall trees in difficult conditions has generated rural jobs and addressed a key bottleneck in jackfruit supply.
• The business model demonstrates a rural entrepreneurship pathway: from local production to value-added manufacturing to marketing and retail, all based in a rural setting.
• In turn, the success of the venture helps boost local economy, raises earning potential of families and contributes to the broader food-processing ecosystem in India, which is projected to reach USD 535 billion by FY26.

Thus the broader meaning of the jackfruit value-addition success is more than profit—it is transformation.

market factors and global trends

Several market-facing factors converge to make jackfruit value-addition success particularly timely-

• Rising vegan/vegetarian populations globally seek plant-based meat alternatives; jackfruit is emerging as such an option.
• Increased health awareness: consumers are more drawn to high-fibre, vitamin-rich, natural-ingredient snacks—giving jackfruit chips and sweets a premium positioning.
• Export potential: India’s jackfruit exports to destinations such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, US and Netherlands keep growing, signalling international markets for processed jackfruit products.
• Value-addition as policy priority: Indian food processing industry and horticulture sectors are emphasising value-addition to reduce wastage and increase farmer income. For instance, KVIC’s project profile emphasises jackfruit processing to reduce 30-34% post-harvest loss.

From these factors emerges why the Pawar brothers’ jackfruit value-addition success is not simply a one-off, but fits into a trend-driven, scalable opportunity.

lessons learned and future outlook

What can aspiring entrepreneurs, policymakers and rural innovators learn from the Pawar brothers’ jackfruit value-addition success-

• Spot the waste-to-wealth gap: They recognized a recurring waste problem and converted it into business.
• Start simple, iterate fast: Their initial 15 kg batch and house-to-house sale validated the model before scaling.
• Stay quality-driven: By using minimal ingredients, avoiding artificial additives, they positioned their products in premium niche.
• Anchor supply chain: Ensuring supply from local farmers and handling the tough harvest conditions addressed a key bottleneck.
• Tap macro trends: The alignment with vegan, gluten-free, health snack trends helped give the business leverage.
• Plan for scale: Their roadmap for automation and product diversification shows forward thinking.
• Create social impact: Generating farmer income, reducing waste and rural jobs give the model deeper purpose.

Looking ahead, the jackfruit value-addition success story seems poised for further expansion: with global market forecasts projecting continuing growth (CAGR 3-5%+), and Indian exports rising, the scope for value-added jackfruit products remains high.

For Tejas and Rajesh, the next steps involve setting up an automated plant, launching new jackfruit-based offerings like papad and laddoo and entering export markets — all of which could further amplify their jackfruit value-addition success.

The story of jackfruit value-addition success in Kolhapur is a testament to how local ingenuity, entrepreneurial energy and alignment with broader market trends can transform an overlooked commodity into a high-value business. Tejas and Rajesh Pawar have shown that what was once waste can become profit, what were idle fruit trees can become income generators, and what was a local problem can become a scalable opportunity.