Jackfruit in the US

While jackfruit is a sustainable food choice in Southeast Asian countries, the sustainability of jackfruit is more complex in the US, Canada, and Europe because of transportation. While some jackfruit is grown in Hawaii, Florida, and Mexico, the majority of jackfruit in North America and Europe is imported from India, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Shipping jackfruit long distances involves significant food miles, contributing to carbon emissions and energy consumption. This diminishes some of the environmental benefits.

However, researchers also tell us that when foods are shipped, the carbon footprint of the shipping, while real, is less significant than the carbon footprint of packaging or of the food itself. In other words, from a climate change perspective, it’s probably much better to eat jackfruit from the other side of the world than beef from next door.