Another minor tropical fruit that is increasingly popular and can be further developed for global markets is Dimorcapus longan or commonly called Longan. As with litchi and rambutan, longan belongs to the Sapindaceae family, and is believed to originate in the warm regions of South East Asia and East Asia. The main longan producers are China, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, PR Taiwan, Indonesia, Malalysia and the Philippines. It is also commercially grown in India, Malaysia, Philippines, Kenya, Australia, South Africa the US (Florida), plus some Latin American countries. Growing areas and production figures are estimates as the fruit is sometimes grouped together with litchi, which belongs to the same family.
The seasonal fruit which are in bunches are gaining popularity, especially the recently developed varieties, due to the high yields, sweet taste and expanding consumer demand. Consumption in the US and EU is also expected to increase with the increasing Asian population. The main exporters of longan are Thailand and China. Fruits are normally eaten fresh or processed into dried or canned products.
Apart from its appealing taste, longan is also a healthy fruit containing a substantial amount of Vitamin C and Potassium. It has also been reported that raw longan fruit is 83% water, 15% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat. In a 100 gram reference amount, raw longan supplies 60 calories of food energy, 101% of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C, and 12% DV of riboflavin. Due to its health benefits, it has been widely used in Chinese traditional medicine. Current research includes extraction of longan fruit pulp polysaccharides, to study its medicinal properties.
Commercial longan varieties that have been developed, especially in China, Thailand and Vietnam are distinguished by their size, thickness of pulp, seed size, taste and yield.
Challenges in developing the fruit include high perishability, pests and diseases, and inconsistent production.
Foreseeing the growing demand for the fruit, International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) with partners Fruit Tree Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Science (GDAAS) and Southern Horticulture Research Institute (SOFRI), Vietnam are organizing a webinar on the ‘Prospects of expanding Longan production and markets’ on Tuesday, 2 April 2024 at 10.00 AM Kuala Lumpur via the Zoom platform.
The objectives of the webinar are:
a. To share information on the common varieties, production status, processing options, market, challenges and opportunities in developing the fruit.
b. To share information on research and development focus, including varietal development, best farm practices, postharvest management, pests and diseases management and impact of the weather on longan production.
c. To discuss initiatives to enhance the visibility of longan in global markets.
d. To establish networking among longan and other tropical fruits stakeholders.
Speakers:
a. Dr. Tran Thi My Hanh
Senior Researcher
Southern Horticultural Research Institute, Tien Giang,
Vietnam
b. Dr. Wang Jing
Fruit Tree Research Institute,
Guandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences,
Guangzhou,
China
c. Dr. Shiamala Devi Ramaiyah
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Bintulu Branch, Sarawak,
Malaysia
d. Dr. Chaireni Martasari
Senior Researcher,
National Research and Innovation Agency
Malang, Indonesia
TENTATIVE PROGRAM: ‘PROSPECTS OF EXPANDING LONGAN PRODUCTION AND MARKETS’
| Time | Content | |
| 10.00 – 10.10 AM | Introduction Dorothy Chandrabalan (TFNet) |
|
| 10.10 – 11.30 AM | PRESENTATIONS Moderator: Dorothy Chandrabalan (TFNet) |
|
| Dr. Wang Jing Fruit Tree Research Institute, Guandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China Longan Production in China – Research, Best practices, Challenges and Way forward |
||
| Dr. Shiamala Devi Ramaiyah Senior Lecturer Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Branch, Sarawak, Malaysia ‘An Assessment of the Potential of Crystal Longan Cultivation in Malaysia’ |
||
| Dr. Chaireni Martasari Senior Researcher, National Research and Innovation Agency Malang, Indonesia The Status of Longan Cultivation in Indonesia – best practices, challenges and market |
||
| Dr. Tran Thi My Hanh Senior Researcher Southern Horticultural Research Institute, Tien Giang, Vietnam ‘ The Status of Longan Production in Vietnam – Best Practices, Challenges and Sustainability’ |
||
| 11.30 – 12:00 AM | Q & A, Panel discussion Moderator: Yacob Ahmad (TFNet) Panel: All speakers Topic: Challenges and opportunities in expanding Longan production and markets |
|
WEBINAR DATE: 2 APRIL 2024 (THURSDAY).
Time: 10.00 AM Kuala Lumpur, Guangzhou / 07.30 AM Delhi /09.00 AM Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Bangkok / 02.00 AM (Suva)
To participate in the webinar, kindly register at:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvce2sqzgsGdfaUU4UQEZzqdqzjG48mak-#/registration