DFNet

December 17, 2025 | on manorama |

Rambutan farmers in India often face unstable prices, delayed flowering, and difficulties selling surplus fruit, especially in distant markets. Unlike jackfruit or bananas, rambutan in Kerala previously lacked viable value-addition options, limiting shelf life and export potential. This may be changing after a breakthrough by farmer and advocate Babu Joseph Painadath of Fruit Food Farm in Chalakudy, Kerala.

Babu demonstrated that rambutan can be preserved for over 18 months through canning. Using a processing unit in Vazhakkulam, he canned 200 kg of rambutan, which retained quality even after six months. The process uses no chemical preservatives, only a mild sugar solution, and involves steam sterilization, resulting in a softer texture and pleasant sweetness comparable to imported canned rambutan.

Each one-litre tin contains 900 g of fruit and costs about ₹500 to produce. Despite high costs, Babu sees strong commercial potential, as imported canned rambutan sells for around ₹3,000 per kg. He plans to launch the product next year at ₹1,000 per tin, sourcing fruit from local farmers. This innovation could stabilize farmer incomes, reduce waste, and make Kerala rambutan available year-round.

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