The 2010 volcanic eruptions of Mount Merapi, Indonesia severely crippled salak (snake fruit) production in the Central Java area, destroying 1,400 hectares and affecting up to 3,800 hectares of plantations. Sleman Agriculture, Fishery, and Forestry Agency told The Jakarta Post that salak producers lost more than Rp 200 billionContinue Reading

More than 20,000 villages in 56 provinces of Thailand have been stricken with drought since February, said the Thai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department in an interview with the Bangkok Post.   The optimal temperature to produce lychee is between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. However, however, the temperature reachedContinue Reading

Total banana import and export and tropical fruit trade Bananas and other tropical fruits have grown to be essential commodities in the international market. Developing countries value these fruits both for nutritional content and commercial viability, as they are relatively cheap yet excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. Banana isContinue Reading

The United States of America Department of Agriculture has authorized the importation of fresh rambutan fruit from Vietnam, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico as traditional Latin American suppliers can no longer meet the increasing demand. Based on pest risk analysis, the US Department of Agriculture found that fresh rambutan from theContinue Reading

A major constraint in rambutan export is the rapid deterioration of fruit quality and visual appearance. The fruit is high in water content and is prone to desiccation, resulting to an unappealing shriveled form.  They are also susceptible to pathological breakdown from bacteria and fungi, characterized by dry hairs orContinue Reading

Sample of seedless rambutan, seed coat still present. Image from masalykitchen. One of the ways to achieve food security is by improving our crops. Aside from developing disease-resistant plants with higher yields, agronomists also increase the edible portion of produce. While the sweet and succulent rambutan flesh has improved inContinue Reading

Known for its rich, sweet, tart, and creamy taste, santol is commonly consumed in the Philippines and Thailand. It is mostly eaten fresh – one has to suck on the thick flesh covering the seed to get the flavor. However, the fruit’s real potential lies in processing of its thickContinue Reading