Fama tests Europe market for Sarawak rambutans
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Federal Agriculture and Marketing Authority ( Fama) continues to test the market for rambutans in Europe, this time with the fruits from Sarawak.
According to Fama state director Paza Dan, the rambutans were plucked from farms in the areas of Nyelam, Po Ai and Engkeramut in Sri Aman Division.
He said the farmers had been trained by Fama to grade the rambutans before they were sent to the collecting centre at the Kota Samarahan Fama office for export.
“These rambutans meant for export are of the Anak Sekolah species, variety R191. Before sending them to overseas, we first treat the rambutans at the collecting centre before packing them inside boxes,” he said when interviewed by reporters at the collecting centre yesterday.
The treatment process for the rambutans include soaking the fruits in water for cleaning for a certain period of time before they are packed in special boxes.
Once treated and cleaned, the rambutan’s freshness will last longer and the fruits will still be fresh when they reach Europe.
Fruits plucked from the trees must also reach the collecting centre the same day that they were harvested.
One tonne of rambutans will be shipped to Amsterdam, Netherlands by tomorrow, from where they will be distributed throughout Europe.
These rambutans meant for export are of the Anak Sekolah species, variety R191. Before sending them to overseas, we first treat the rambutans at the collecting centre before packing them inside boxes. Paza Dan, Fama state director
Only the Anak Sekolah R191 variant is exported to other countries because of its thick and sweet content.
Paza also revealed that the Sarawakian Anak Sekolah R191 was exported to China for the first time on Dec 15.
He also said Fama had also exported the rambutans to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
One of the main reasons for Fama to export the fruits to overseas is to reduce dumping which happens every time there is fruit season in the country.
“We will try to export other Sarawakian fruits such as the banana, durian and coconut in the near future as there are also demand for Sarawakian fruits in Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.
Others present at the collecting centre were Fama Sarawak deputy director ( Operations) Abdul Jaafar Lian, deputy director ( Entrepreneur Development) Su’udi Arof and operations manager ( Kuching Operations Centre) Kemin Rantap.