It is the season of rambutan again. It has been just three or four years since the ‘red-haired’ fruit has started becoming popular in the State. Now, it has become a favourite, especially in Central Travancore.
Pathanamthitta is the largest producer of rambutan in the State. The fruit arrives in Idukki from Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. “There is good demand,” a roadside vendor who started selling the fruit in a vehicle at ₹100 a kg on the Kattappana-Kottayam State highway a few days ago said. He added that the prices are high at fruit shops. The main markets at Kattappana are flush with the beautiful fruit, priced at ₹130 a kg.
There is bumper production this season, which started by mid-June and will go on till August. Thailand accounts for over half of the global production of rambutan.
The main attraction for Kerala farmers is that the soil and climatic conditions here are favourable for its growth. The tree does not need much care except a cover over the fruits when they are ripening, as a protection them from birds and squirrels. The fruit is harvested once a year.
There are male (bearing no fruit) and female categories in rambutan. Hybrid varieties that need only two to three years for bearing fruits are also available. The fruit has a long shelf life. Even if the red outer cover turns brown as days pass, its tasty flesh remains intact.
The fruit from Pathanamthitta has found its way to Bengaluru and Kodaikanal too. Rajesh, a vendor, said the fruit would not be damaged easily if proper care is given while harvesting.
Origin
Rambutan is native to the Malay-Indonesian region and value-added products such as jam and canned juice have a good demand in the world market.
However, till the 1950s, its distribution was confined to its native region though Arabian traders had introduced the fruit to East Africa in the 13th and 15th centuries itself.
