Underutilized Fruit Crops as a Sustainable Approach to Enhancing Nutritional Security and Promoting Economic Growth

Kumaresan Marappan¹Shakila Sadasivam^2*Kovvasu Khanchana³Vijai Ananth Arumugam⁴Kathari Lakshmaiah⁵Meera Thangaraj¹Madhumita Giridhar Gopal¹Akino Asokan²

• ¹Vels Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies (VISTAS), Chennai, India
• ²Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India
• ³Dr. YSR Horticulture University, West Godavari, India
• ⁴School of Agricultural Sciences, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University, Samayapuram, Trichy, India
• ⁵NS College of Horticultural Sciences, Peddaraveedu Mandal, Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh, India

Underutilized fruit crops hold significant potential for commercial cultivation due to their nutritional benefits, resilience to climatic changes, and increasing consumer demand for exotic and health-beneficial fruits. These crops are appealing for sustainable agriculture because they are resistance to major pest and disease as well as excellent adaptability to marginal areas. However, because to a lack of agronomic understanding, restricted market access, and inadequate research, they continue to be generally ignored in mainstream agriculture. According to recent research, the market for underused fruit crops including dragon fruit, baobab, and west Indian cherry has grown at a pace of 10-15% per year due to growing demand from health-conscious consumer segments. For example, the high vitamin C content (ten times that of oranges) and antioxidant qualities of baobab powder are expected to drive the worldwide market to 45,000 crores by 2030. Due to its propensity to thrive in arid environments and the growing demand for superfruits, dragon fruit cultivation has also expanded by 25% in some Southeast Asian countries. These crops have noteworthy nutritional benefits as well. For instance, sea buckthorn has more vitamin C than oranges and lemons, with 400 - 600 mg per 100 g. The underutilized fruit crops, including Khirni (Manilkara hexandra), Baobab (Adansonia digitata), Dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.), West Indian cherry (Malpighia emarginata), and Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), hold immense potential for commercial cultivation due to their high nutritional value, resilience to climate change, and the growing demand for exotic, health-beneficial fruits. Other notable underutilized fruit crops such as Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica), Custard apple (Annona squamosa), Jungle Jalebi (Pithecellobium dulce), Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum), and Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) are also gaining attention. These crops are especially promising for sustainable agriculture as they often demonstrate high nutritional content, pest and disease resistance and can adapt well to marginal and arid areas. However, despite their advantages, they remain largely neglected in mainstream agricultural practices due to limited agronomic knowledge, restricted market access, and inadequate research. Recent trends suggest that the market for underutilized fruits is expanding rapidly, driven by increasing demand from health-conscious consumers.