Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus): Growth, Allometry and Carbon Potential

Updated 2026-11-02 · 3 min read · By the akar.earth specialist team

Jackfruit carbon sequestration in Indonesian home gardens and agroforestry: range, growth, wood density, allometry, livelihoods and risks.

Jackfruit stores a solid amount of carbon because it grows into a medium to large, long-lived tree with fairly dense wood, and farmers keep it for decades for fruit and timber. In Indonesian home gardens and coffee farms it is one of the most common shade and fruit trees, which makes it a practical backbone for agroforestry carbon.

Identity and range

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is in the fig and mulberry family, Moraceae. In Indonesia it is called nangka; young unripe fruit used as a vegetable is called gori or tewel in Java. Its close relatives include cempedak (A. integer), breadfruit (sukun, A. altilis) and many wild Artocarpus in Indonesian forests.

Jackfruit is native to the rainforests of the Western Ghats in southwestern India. It spread across tropical Asia long ago and is now grown throughout Indonesia, especially in Java, Sumatra, Bali and Sulawesi. It is a fixture of pekarangan (home gardens) and kebun campur (mixed gardens), and a common shade tree in coffee farms in Lampung and Central Java.

Growth habit and rotation

Jackfruit is an evergreen tree, usually 8 to 20 m tall, with a dense crown and milky latex. It tolerates a wide range of soils but not waterlogging. Fruits grow directly from the trunk and large branches and are the largest tree-borne fruit in the world.

Grafted trees can start fruiting after around 3 to 4 years and seedlings later. Trees can produce for many decades. At the end of their life, or when farmers need cash, trees are felled for their yellow, durable timber, used for furniture, musical instruments and traditional houses. Reported growth rates vary widely with site and management.

Wood density and biomass estimation

Reported basic density for jackfruit wood sits roughly between 0.50 and 0.65 g/cm³. Wood density varies with site and age, so state the value and source.

Use the Chave et al. 2014 pantropical model:

AGB (kg) = 0.0673 × (ρ × D² × H)^0.976

with ρ in g/cm³, D (DBH) in cm and H in m. Some studies of home gardens and agroforestry systems in South and Southeast Asia have published equations covering jackfruit, often as multi-species agroforestry models. Use them only within their size range. Low-branching garden trees may need diameter measured below the first fork; record the height of measurement. See the allometric equations guide.

Convert to carbon with the IPCC default 0.47 and to CO2 with 44/12.

Carbon role in ARR and agroforestry

• Home gardens and mixed gardens. These multi-strata systems already store significant carbon. Adding jackfruit and other fruit trees on eligible degraded land can form an agroforestry project.
• Coffee and cacao shade. Jackfruit is a common shade tree in coffee agroforestry systems.
• Permanence. Farmers keep fruit trees for decades. Occasional timber harvest should be modelled, but the stock is far more stable than in short-rotation woodlots. Under VM0047 and other ARR methods, planned harvest limits credits to the long-term average stock.

Co-benefits and livelihoods

Jackfruit supplies food (ripe fruit, young fruit as a vegetable in dishes such as gudeg in Yogyakarta, and seeds), fodder from leaves, and timber. Demand for jackfruit as a meat substitute in export markets is growing. Its fruit ripens in a different season from many crops, which smooths household income.

Risks and cautions

• Fruit rot and pests. Fruit flies, fruit borers and rot can damage yields.
• Timber harvest. High-value timber creates a felling incentive. Include it in your permanence planning.
• Waterlogging. Trees die on poorly drained soils.
• Non-native status. Jackfruit is long naturalised in Indonesia and rarely invasive, but some standards favour native species. Mix it with native Artocarpus or other natives where you can.

Planning notes for project developers

• Measure below the fork where needed. Garden trees often fork low; record measurement height with every DBH reading.
• Combine with natives. Native Artocarpus species such as cempedak support biodiversity claims while keeping fruit income.
• Group home gardens. Small, scattered plots usually need aggregation into a grouped project.

Worked example

A mature jackfruit with DBH 30 cm, height 14 m and wood density 0.58 g/cm³:

1. ρ × D² × H = 0.58 × 900 × 14 = 7,308
2. AGB = 0.0673 × 7,308^0.976 ≈ 397 kg
3. Carbon = 397 × 0.47 ≈ 187 kg C
4. CO2e = 187 × 44/12 ≈ 685 kg CO2e (above-ground only)

Try your own trees in the tree CO2 calculator, and compare species in species selection for ARR.