Awareness of Underutilized Fruits among Rural Communities in Prayagraj District of Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Underutilized fruits represent an important component of India's agrobiodiversity and possess immense nutritional, medicinal, and socioeconomic potential. Despite their abundance in many regions, their utilisation remains limited due to inadequate awareness, poor market development, and changing dietary preferences. The present study was conducted to assess the awareness of underutilized fruits among rural households in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to select 400 respondents from eight villages distributed across four geographical directions of the district during 2023–2025. Data were collected through a structured and pre-tested questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, awareness of selected underutilized fruits, knowledge of nutritional and medicinal benefits, purchasing behaviour, utilisation patterns, and factors influencing awareness. Descriptive statistics, Z-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to interpret the data. The study revealed that awareness varied considerably among fruit species, with Amla (Phyllanthus emblica) recording the highest level of awareness, followed by Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Bael (Aegle marmelos), Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica), and Karonda (Carissa carandas). Educational status, age, income, and place of residence significantly influenced awareness levels. Respondents recognized the nutritional and medicinal importance of these fruits; however, limited availability in organized markets, inadequate promotional activities, and insufficient scientific information restricted their regular consumption. The findings emphasize the need for awareness campaigns, value-addition initiatives, and policy interventions to promote underutilized fruits as sustainable food resources for improving nutritional security, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing rural livelihoods.