REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TABANAN -- The district of Tabanan in the Indonesian province of Bali exports 15 tons of mangosteen fruit to China every month, a local agribusiness chief said here on Sunday.
Jero Putu Tesan, the chief of the Sari Buah Agribusiness Sub-Terminal (STA), said mangosteen that is exported to China so far comes from Tabanan's sub-districts of Pupuan and Selemadeg Barat.
He said mangosteen from Bali has been able to attract consumers because of its special taste and therefore it has become a prima donna in China despite tight rivalry from Thailand.
"Mangosteen from Bali is preferred by consumers abroad because it tastes sweet and therefore has won consumers' preference," he said.
The mangosteen harvest season in Tabanan occurs from January to May. Mangosteen farmers groomed by Sari Buah Agribusiness Sub-Terminal spread in several villages grouped into four zones.
Besides mangosteen the farmers' group of Sari Buah Agribusiness Sub-Terminal also develop avocado, durian and salacca fruits to meet domestic needs.
Jero Tasen has expressed hope that the government would immediately take steps so that exports of mangosteen to China would not have to be done through Malaysia.
He also hoped for tight supervision at export gates to assure that farmers would not become victims when bad products are found.
A mangosteen farmer, Nyoman Suarda, from Pempatan, Batungsel, said since the establishment of the Sari Buah Agribusiness Sub-Terminal in 2004 he had no longer had problems marketing his produce.
"I and other farmers are happy and relieved because marketing has been made easier," he said.
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