Abdul Jaafar (centre), on his left Operation Manager of FAMA Kota Samarahan, Kemin Rantap posing with the rambutan for Europe market.
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak is losing out to its South East Asian neighbours this season because its ‘Anak Sekolah’ rambutan ripened after the Christmas celebration.
“My buyers from Europe have placed orders for rambutan and mangosteen because both are deemed as exotic fruits for Christmas.
“Unfortunately, rambutan from Sarawak were not available yet at that time,” Mohd Noh Sani, proprietor of DRS Trading Sdn Bhd, told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He said the demand for the exotic fruit is all-year round but peaks during Christmas holidays and the average demand for the past few years has been very encouraging.
Sarawak rambutan upon arrival in KLIA for Peninsula Malaysia market.
Fortunately, Mohd Noh said, there was some demand after Christmas, and he ordered 600 kilograms of Anak Sekolah rambutan from Sarawak for Europe market that were flown to Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
“I bought two tonnes from Sarawak two years ago. This year my buyers want 10 tonnes but the fruit were not ready yet in Sarawak. The demand surged during festive season, I really hope they can do something,” he said.
Meanwhile, Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) deputy director of operations Abdul Jaafar Lian revealed that they had bought more than 60 tonnes of Anak Sekolah rambutan from Sri Aman this season.
“On the average, we are sending at least two tonnes per week to Kuala Lumpur and one-and-a-half tonnes to Sabah per week,” he said.
The remainder, he added, were offered to Sarawakians at a very attractive price to introduce the premium quality fruits.
“We have sold about 15 tonnes at introductory price in Satok market over the last few weekends at very affordable price of RM10 for three kilogrammes,” he said.
Abdul Jaafar revealed that this year, 55 participants from Rumah Nimong, Empelajau, Rumah Helary, Nyelam and Rumah Sepitson, Rapak are involved in a project that covers 48 hectares of rambutan smallholdings.
“Among the longhouses involved are Rumah Nimong, Empelajau with 20 participants working on 20 hectares of farm, Rumah Helary, Nyelam with eight persons working on eight hectares of farm and Rumah Sepitson, Rapak with 20 persons working on 20 hectares of farm,” he said.
Jaafar said 33 of the farmers had obtained MyGAP certification – 14 from Rumah Nimong and 19 from Rumah Sepitson.
Jaafar said the rambutan would undergo three times of grading before they are shipped to the Europe market.
“First they are graded at the respective longhouses after being plucked from the trees, after that we grade them here in Fama Kota Samarahan office and before they are packed for export, the exporter once again will make sure the quality of the fruits are up to the mark,” he said.
Truck with cooling system to ensure local exotic fruits are fit for export market.