The Dutchman Arno van der Maden has been living in Costa Rica for over 10 years, from where he has been helping the Central American cultivation companies professionalise the local cultivations and export for the CBI programme Fresh Fruit and Vegetables. The CBI programme includes four Rambutan participators, including two growers unions (FRUTELA, Honduras and ASPRAGUA, Guatemala) and two companies (Frutas Exoticas, Honduras and Reliable Fruits Guatemala, Guatemala). "Rambutan from Honduras and Guatemala are an excellent alternative to the Asian product!"
The new Rambutan season is upon us again and according to Arno a good harvest is expected. "Until recently many companies had a strong focus on the local, regional and North American market. The companies Frutas Exoticas and Reliable Fruits Guatemala have been GlobalGAP certified since last season and have gained experience shipping Rambutan to Europe. For the other parties, two producers organisations, we are working on this certification and export to Europe is on their wish list."
"The GlobalGAP certification is not yet a requirement for sales to the United States. The step to Europe isn't as big for the companies, as they have already built up a lot of experience with the harvesting, post harvesting techniques and phytosanitary aspects. For the associations, that multiple growers are linked to, it is more difficult but certainly not unattainable."
"The advantage is that the Rambutan comes from countries that growers know from other crops. This creates trust. We see a rising demand for product from Central America. The demand for Rambutan increases every year. The product revel in an increasing consumption that can be explained due to the health effect, among other things, as health improving effects are linked to the product (such as the level of vitamin C, iron and calcium). The great thing is that these parties have enough volume available and also have an interesting window product available for the European markets," says Arno. Together, they are worth over 300 hectares, with a production of over 600,000 kilos intended for export starting the beginning of September until the beginning of January depending on the geographical location of the farms and the weather conditions.
According to Arno there is fruit from good varieties of Rambutan available in Central America. "The colour is intense red and both the sweetness and the juice level are excellent. The fruit flesh comes off of the seed well. They are well able to send a uniform quality of Rambutan to Europe."
"Rambutan is often bought by people in Europe who have been on holiday in Asia or originate from their. This is why promotion on the European market is so important. People who have eaten the product, buy it again. Just like when the consumption of avocado was promoted. The benefits of that are being felt now. This is why there's still a world to win," says Arno. "You can't find the Rabutan in every supermarket yet. It's still a reasonably expensive, exclusive product. It is often packaged by two's or three's in a container with flowpack. Rambutan has a lot of applications in fruit salads, desserts and sweet or savoury desserts."
The short shelf life of the product is a point of attention. This is why it's so important that there is throughput in the product on the shop floor. In the United States that throughput speed is much higher. "During my visits to the Netherlands I sometimes get annoyed at the way the Rambutan is laid out in the shelves. The product is often already completely darkened, while the growers do everything they can to harvest the product at the right time and supply it to Europe in a perfect state."
For more information:
Arno van der Maden
N&S del Trópico S.A.
(T) +506 8847 4746
arno@nsdeltropico.com
www.nsdeltropico.com