The best rambutan in Malaysia… Ishak (centre) harvesting rambutan with help from Nazipah (left) and Shahid (right) at a rambjutan farm in Nyelam, near Lachau in Sri Aman Division.
SRI AMAN: The success of longhouse folks from Lachau near here to produce the best Rambutan Anak Sekolah in the country have inspired many other farmers in Sarawak to venture into commercial farming.
Chairman of Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) Ishak Ismail revealed that 63 farmers in Kampung Sungai Limo (Lundu), Kampung Pueh (Sematan) and Rumah Luyu, Tanjong udol, Julau are opening up a total of 63 hectares with 7,749 trees producing about 620 tonnes of the rambutan species a season.
“I have been to other places, visiting Rambutan Anak Sekolah farms, and so far this is the best, in terms of size, fruit texture and taste that can easily penetrate the international market,” he told thesundaypost when visiting the rambutan farm belonging to farmers from Rumah Halary, Nyelam near Lachau.
Ishak said some farmers in Sungai Limo and Kampung Pueh who once abandoned their farms are now back into business after seeing the success of Lachau rambutan growers who have been exporting their produce to the international market annually.
Ishak stressed that Rambutan Anak Sekolah is one of the 14 signature products identified by FAMA to be marketed on a large scale.
He said FAMA is aware that local farmers are facing tough times and is currently looking at several solutions to assist them.
“Number one is solving the market accessibility issue, number two is solving the accessibility to funding and number three – guiding them on production methods,” he said.
Ishak revealed that one metric tonne of the fruit would be flown to Dubai today.
He also said that FAMA bought 27.4 metric tonnes of rambutan between Jan 1 to 12 this year, amounting to RM68,500.
“3.1 metric tonnes of the fruits were sent to European markets and starting from Jan 14, we have received an order totalling 12.5 tonnes for the Peninsular Malaysia market,” he added.
To date, Rambutan Anak Sekolah from Lachau have been exported to China, Europe and the Middle East.
“I am bringing some of these rambutan to Turkey very soon to be promoted there to further promote Rambutan Anak Sekolah from Lachau to the world market,” he said.
He said FAMA was also looking at ways and means to help the local villagers to develop downstream processing industry for the rambutan to further increase the farmers’ income.
“We are now looking into the possibility of producing rambutan syrup, or may be rambutan vinegar to add value to the rambutans so that nothing will go to waste,” he concluded.
Also present were deputy director general (operation) of FAMA Datuk Nazipah Jamaluddin, director of FAMA Sarawak Shahid Abu Bakar and FAMA Sarawak deputy director Abdul Jaafar Lian.