Economics of Traditional Fruit Bearing Trees

Tall and age old mango and jack fruit trees were very common even in our towns until recently.They used to feed all family members during seasons and relieved them from buying vegetables from the market.For example, during mango season the fruit in its various stages served as ingredient to pickles, curries, etc.So is the case of jack fruit trees.Not only the tree's owner benefitted, neighbours also got positive externalities from, say, a big tall mango tree.But mad rush for urbanisation and changes in food habits led to merciless cutting of these nature's treasures.
Thus, there was an economics of self sufficiency, food security and environmental sustainability in the good old days.And that can be considered as the good effects of joint family of the olden days.
But what is happening today?Kerala state which turns out bumper crop of jack fruit, for example,
does not consume much of it.Extreme food habits of our society and a dislike for our traditional food items has made our state dependent on non-local vegetables and fruits.Surprisingly, no person is interested in analysing supply trends from traditional fruit trees and the conservation of traditional fruit trees.Our state's agricultural department must learn lessons from Vancouver city's fruit gardens, community agricultural fields and orchards, school gardens and the like.