SERDANG, MALAYSIA: The ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry initiated a training on carambola held in the Malaysian Agricultural Extension Training Institute (AETI) on 29 Apr – 12 May 2012.
15 participants from 3 countries attended the training, which covered topics on carambola production, soil management, pest & disease management, post harvest handling, SPS issues, and market access. TFNet Technical Officer Palasuberniam Kaliannan was invited as a resource speaker on the Challenges in the Export Market for Tropical and Sub-tropical Fruits, with focus on Carambola.
The participants went on a field trip to a vapour heat treatment centre, a Fruit Grading Centre of the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority. They also visited Exotic Star (M) Sdn Bhd in Kajang, a TFNet associate member and one of the leading exporters of carambola. Participants were able to see the importance of integrated crop management in the value chain.
Malaysia is the leading exporter of carambola in the ASEAN region, with an export value of US $15 million in 2010. The fruits are mainly exported to Europe, the Middle East, and Singapore.