Is Rambutan is potential for commercial production in Nepal?

What is Rambutan?

Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) is a fruit which grow in medium-sized tree belongs to Sapindaceae family. This fruit is native to Southeast Asia and closely related to several other edible fruits such as Lychee and Longan.

The name Rambutan is derived from the Malay (Malaysian language) word 'rambut' which means 'hair', and in Vietnam it is called 'chom chom' which also means 'messy hair'

Rambutan tree

The Rambutan tree is an evergreen tree grows upto the height of 12-20 meter. It has alternate leaves (10-30 cm long), pinnate with small leaflets from 3-11. It has small flowers and born in erect terminal panicles which is 15-30 cm wide.  rambutan tree can be either male (produce male flower only and hence no fruiting occur), female (produce functional female flowers) or hermaphrodite (produce both flowers where male flowers used be in low proportion). 

Photo: Rambutan tree and fruits in tree, Source: internet search

Rambutan fruit 

The rambutan fruit is round to oval single seeded drupe fruit which is 3-6 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, born in a loose pendant cluster of 10-20 fruits together. Rambutan fruits have very hairy leathery cover and have pliable spines, looks similar like castor fruit in Nepal. Outside leathery cover is reddish in colour. The edible part is flesh which is actually is aril which is translucent, whitish or very pink with sweet but mildly acidic in flavour which resemble taste of grapes. Each fruit have nutty seed which can be eaten as well. 

Photo: Rambutan fruit and seed, Source: Internet search 

Production of rambutan

Rambutan  produced  in humid and tropical weather. This fruit is popular fruit tree in garden as well as commercially produced in orchards. The best producer of this fruit is Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam India and Philippines as well also grown in Africa, Southern Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama. In India, rambutan is imported from Thailand and also grown in some area in Kerala. 

Thailand is largest producer of rambutan followed by Indonesia and Malaysia. This fruit is usually sold fresh and commonly used in making jams, jellies or canned sometime. 

Cultivation of rambutan 

Rambutan can grow in warm tropical climate around 22-30 °C and highly sensitive to low temperature below 10°C. Commercial cultivation is possible above 12°C of the equator. Rambutan can commercially be grown up to 500 m elevation from sea level. The best soil to grow rambutan are clay loam or sandy loam that rich in organic matter. It grows on hilly terrain where there is good drainage is available. 

Rambutan can be propagated by grafting, air-layering and budding. We also can grow rambutan from seeds, however in commercial scale, vegetative propagation is effective. 

Benefits of Rambutan

Rambutan have several health benefits because it is rich in nutrients and antioxidants. It has many beneficial vitamins and minerals for human health. It is rich in fiber, vitamin C and copper. Rambutan is healthy fruit as it  helps for healthy digestion, may help to reduce weight and can help to fight against infection. 

It has economic benefit as well. The Rambutan has higher demand in within Asia plus many other western countries as well because of its health benefit. So current producer is selling this product in higher price. Analysing the today's market price the 1kg Rambutan cost from NRS 300 to 450. So this fruit has higher economic value as well. 

Photo: Agromart Nepal is selling Rambutan fruit, Source: Agromart Nepal

Is rambutan is potential for commercialization in Nepal?

Tarai regions of Nepal have similar climatic condition for rambutan cultivation. Temperature, elevation and soil condition in Nepalese Tarai can be suitable for Rambutan cultivation. We can explore and identify the suitability of rambutan cultivation in some Tarai regions where it is humid and warm. Therefore, rambutan has higher potentiality to grow successfully in Nepal

In another hand, there is high demand of this fruit in Asia as well as in western countries. Our neighbour country is also importing huge amount of this fruit annually. It can reflect that, the market is highly demanding and if we become able to commercialize rambutan, we have market in next door. 

As it is exotic fruits, to bring the seeds and propagule from other countries in Nepal, may be our government have to go with some biosecurity procedure and some seed and plant quarantine procedure at initial stage. However, in later stage, it could be successful new agri-entrepreneurship in Nepal.

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