Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum Linn) belongs to the Sapindaceae family which also includes litchi, longan and pulasan. It is believed to be native to Malaysia and popularly grown in other Southeast Asian countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Cambodia. The fruit is also grown on smaller scale in Mexico, Sri Lanka, India, Australia, Central America (Mexico) and South Africa.
Thailand is a major producer and exporter of the fruit with exports mainly to China, Malaysia .and Singapore.
There has recently been interest in developing the fruit further as it possesses market appeal due to its size, unique appearance, and taste. While Thailand leads in its production and trade, other countries in the region are also stepping up efforts to seek for superior high yielding cultivars for domestic and export markets. Currently Thailand exports the fruit to China, while the Mexican exports are destined for the US market.
While rambutan has been cultivated commercially in SE Asia, and with its growing popularity, more efforts are needed to improve its production and to add to the diversity of minor tropical fruit in the global market. The demand for such seasonal fruits is expected to increase in the coming years.
Researchers and growers have also given some attention to the fruit focusing on better quality cultivars, improvements in field practices to improve yield and quality, postharvest practices to improve shelf life and export and management of pests and diseases, among others.
International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) has in the past year organized webinars to showcase potential minor fruits such as jackfruit and passionfruit. Similarly, in collaboration with the Malaysian Department of Agriculture, an international webinar on ‘Enhancing the global consumption and trade of Rambutan’ will be held on the zoom platform on 18 May 2023 at 2.00 pm (Kuala Lumpur).
The aim of the webinar is to:
a. To share information among stakeholders on the various initiatives to increase rambutan production and markets, including cultivar development, best farm practices, postharvest management, inputs for the food industry, research and development focus and policies to encourage its cultivation.
b. Gauge the current scenario and deliberate on the potential of rambutan as another globally popular and traded fruit.
Speakers:
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| Mr. Christopher Biai Director, Crop Industry Development Division, Dept. of Agriculture Malaysia |
Dr. Meiyin He Assoc Professor, College of Economics and Management, South China Agricultural University, Consultant/expert of South Asia Ofice, Ministry of Agrculture and Rural Development. Guangzhou, Guangdong China. |
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| Prof. Dr. Sobir Center of Tropical Horticulture Studies, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia |
Dr. Johari Sarip Breeder / fruit consultant Malaysia |
Tentative program:
Date: 18 May 2023 (Thursday).
Time: 2.00 pm (Kuala Lumpur, Guangzhou), 1.00 pm (Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta), 7.00 pm (Suva), 4.00 pm (Brisbane)
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Time |
Content |
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2.00 – 2.10 pm |
Introduction |
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2.10 – 3.30 pm |
Presentations |
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a. Mr. Christopher Biai |
‘Rambutan cultivation and market in Malaysia’ |
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b. Dr. Meiyin He, |
‘Market potential analysis of Rambutan in China’ |
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c. Prof. Dr. Ridzwan Sobir, |
‘Status of production, consumption and market of Rambutan in Indonesia’ |
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d. Dr. Johari Sarip |
‘Cultivar development and breeding of Rambutan in Malaysia’ |
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3.30 – 4.00 pm |
Q & A, Panel discussion |
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All speakers |
Challenges and opportunities in developing Rambutan for the global market |
Registration
To participate in the webinar, kindly register at :
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvdOGrpzwoH938eLCH4dCevd0o6DLXxEBQ