Local fruit potential

Local fruit potential

From Merdeka

I have felt for some time that our country is fast loosing what it has, like local fruits, which are increasingly becoming a rarity. A few of these are kesemek, gowok, kebembem, cereme, jamblang, rambutan si nyonya, rambutan lengkeng, etc. which can be found abundantly when in season.

We understand that these fruits have become rare species, because people do not like their often pungent flavors. But in terms of nature's potential riches, it would be regrettable if these fruits just vanished from our country without anyone giving a hoot about it, conducting research on them, or trying to protect their existence.

I hope that plant lovers and farmers do not cast away these "unmarketable" fruits. Perhaps in the future a scientist would succeed in engineering a new kind of fruit from the originals. One example is the Rafia rambutan which reminds me of the Aceh Lebak rambutan and lengkeng rambutan.

Aside from their sweet flavor, the flesh easily comes off the kernel.

ANDI TEDJAKUSUMA

Jakarta