Indigenous fruits - jamun (Indian blackberry) and Manila Tamarind (known as junglee jangri in Hindi, kodukapuli in Tamil and seema chintakaya in Telugu) are making a comeback after a couple of decades, thanks to the awareness of their health and medicinal values.

“There is good demand for jamun during the season. People come in cars, stop and buy 250 g or 500 g of jamun costing around ₹250 a kg,” said B Govindraj, who sells fruits behind Murugappa Polytechnic on the way to Heavy Vehicles Factory quarters at Chennai suburb Avadi. 

Some 300 km away in Tamil Nadu’s Mayiladuthurai, R Kalanjianathan finds a good number of takers for the Manila tamarind he sells on the market street. “I sell at least 10 kg a day of this at ₹280 a kg. This is peak season. Towards the season’s end, it increases to nearly ₹400 a kg,” he said.

Both Govindaraj and Kalanjianathan say they get their produce from Andhra Pradesh. Consumers purchase them for the health benefits they offer. But these are available in Tamil Nadu, too, says M Jawaharlal, Dean, SRM College of Agricultural Sciences (SRMCAS).

There is a huge demand for jamun and Manila tamarind for their health benefits, says B Gopu, associate professor, Department of Fruit Science at SRMCAS.

“Jamun has potassium and helps overcome nutrient deficiency, while Manila tamarind has properties to tackle diabetes,” said Jawaharlal.

“These fruits have health properties that were not tapped commercially until a few years ago. Now that people are conscious about their well-being, these fruits are witnessing a comeback,” said R Nagjothi, assistant professor in crop physiology at SRMCAS.

Scientists say jamun controls blood sugar. It is high in potassium and antioxidants. Jamun is high in fibre content and has digestive properties.

Nagajothi said jamun seeds are used in traditional medicines, and it is a source to treat inflammation. “Some have begun to make juice out of jamun and it is being recommended,” she said. 

On the other hand, Manila tamarind is a wonder fruit, says the SRMCAS dean. 

Besides helping to tackle diabetes, the fruit has vitamin C, antioxidants, immunity and supports bone and oral health, say scientists.

“Manila tamarind is a dry horticultural crop. It requires water only till it establishes itself. Manila tamarind, which has red flesh, fetches up to ₹400 a kg,” said Jawaharlal. 

Farmers are showing interest in growing these, with Manila tamarind being grown as a live fencing tree, while jamun trees line up the borders of farms.

These fruits are now being sold at the taluk level at ₹150-200 a kg, and for sale in bigger cities, prices go up to ₹250-300. Traders in Tamil Nadu’s Aruppukottai and Tirunelveli regions are aggregating Manila tamarind and selling it.

Manila tamarind tree grows well in the Anantapur region, Andhra Pradesh, where rainfall is minimal, as well as in Tirunelveli and Aruppukottai regions, said the SRMCAS dean. 

Gopu said there are sour and sweet varieties of Manila tamarind, and diabetics prefer the sour ones. “It costs an additional ₹50 a kg,” he said.

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has released two Manila tamarind varieties: Periyakulam-1 (PKM1), a normal variety, and PKM2, which has red flesh.

“There is good demand for the one with red flesh, and it is attractive,” said Gopu, adding that SRMCAS is cultivating 50 plants of each variety as students are researching them.

Instagram has helped in informing people of the benefits of jamun and Manila tamarind, and consumers are finding new hybrid varieties attractive, said Nagjothi. 

Published on July 17, 2026