Tropical fruits in abundance:

Boom time for Duriyan and Rambuttan sellers

By Ananda KANNANGARA

Duriyan seller

Unlike in other countries, the Sri Lankan tropical climate and the soil are suitable to grow any variety of fruit that could be seen in different parts of the world. For example, mango or butter fruit, commonly known as avacado are not grown in England or Australia. Pineapple or mangosteen are not grown either in Canada or Italy. rambuttan or duriyan trees cannot be seen either in Pakistan or in the Middle Eastern region.

But, according to agricultralists, the Sri Lankan climate and the soil in different parts of the island are suitable to grow any variety of fruits that are grown in foreign countries. Some of them are apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, oranges and Pomegranate.

Most of these fruits are grown in Nuwara Eliya District which has a cold climate. Grapes are also grown in Jaffna during the season in May and June and the off-season period in December and January.

Although there is a myth that dates are not grown in Sri Lanka and imported from Iraq and a few other Middle Eastern countries, some trees could be seen in Batticaloa, Katthankudi and Mannar districts. Some of them are even bearing fruits. People even in Colombo could see a date tree with fruits in front of the Sathosa building at D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha.

The Sunday Observer last week visited several places in the country to see rare varieties of fruits, such as duriyan and rambutan that come to the market during season and off-season periods. Although, locals and foreigners like these two varieties very much, they are hardly seen in the market these days. According to fruit sellers, a large quantity of duriyan and rambuttan are coming to the market during the season of May and June.

Rambutan sellers Pix : Vipula Amarasinghe

`Duriyan’ is coming to the market during the season from the areas of Deraniyagala, Ratnapura, Kandy, Kegalle, Avissawella, Galle and Attanagalla, while this delicious fruit is also coming to the market from Ratnapura and Galle during the off season in December and January. Fruit sellers also say that rambutan is coming to the market from Malwana, Attanagalla, Polgahawela, Koslanda, Beragala and Labugama areas during the season between May and June, while this fruit hardly comes to the market during the off season between December and January.

The Sunday Observer also visited Colombo, Yakkala and Gampaha to meet few duriyan and rambuttan sellers to ask about the progress of their business activities, especially during this off-season period.

A long standing duriyan and rambuttan seller Sujith Weerasinghe who runs few stalls opposite the BRC grounds in Colombo said that selling duriyan and rambuttan has now become a family business as four of his friends also support him to do the business. The 34- year old Sujith who is married and having two children said he has been in the business for the past 18 years at various places in the city of Colombo. “We started the duriyan and rambuttan business at Alexandra Place in Town Hall few years ago, but due to various reasons, Police did not permit us to be there. We thereafter, shifted our business to Colombo University premises where we did brisk business with the support of University students”.

He said regular customers are very familiar with the present place which is located opposite the BRC grounds and requested Police and Colombo MMC authorities to permit them to carry out the business permanently at this place without being chased to another place. Sujith said that he is engaged in the duriyan and rambuttan business only during the season in May, June and July and also during the off-season between December and January.

“We earn around Rs, 10,000 a day and a large number of foreigners visit our stalls even from their Hotels,”.

He said he personally visits Deraniyagala, Ratnapura, Kandy and several other places to bring duriyan and Attanagalla, Koslanda, Beragala, Wellawaya and Polgahawela to bring rambuttan.

Sujith also requested Police or any other authority to allow them to carry out their business once again at Thunmulla Junction.

A 38–year old duriyan seller at Bambalapitiya Market R. S. Wijepal, said the owners of duriyan and rambuttan trees are very poor and ask the respective provincial councillors to help them develop their plantations by giving bank loans.

He said there is a great demand for duriyan and rambuttan from foreigners and requested authorities to allow them to sell their fruits in Colombo Fort and Galle Face areas where a large number of foreigners visit during the evenings.

A 56- year old duriyan seller at Nittambuwa, Piyasoma Perera said foreigners like duriyan than our local customers and sometimes sell a nut at a cost of Rs. 500.00 .

He requested the authorities to allow them to have temporary fruit stalls near star class hotels in Colombo to sell different kinds of local fruits to foreigners .

A duriyan and rambuttan seller Gemunu Wijetilaka who has a fruit stall near Wellawatte Super Market said he does the business without the support of the Police and therefore requested the authorities to allow all fruit sellers in the city of Colombo to carry out their business at prominent places, considering that it is a self-employment project. Nimal Premasiri of Kegalle said he has 15 well grown duriyan trees in his garden and some trees bear fruits during May and June and a few other trees bear fruits during the off-season of December and January. He said he earns sufficient income from duriyan and proposed the authorities to plant more and more duriyan trees in Kagalle Distrct as there are many bare lands in the area.

A rambuttan seller, Sunil Govinna proposed authorities to manufacture rambutan and duriyan tins and export them, since it will help both the tree owners and the Government.

He also requested the Government to establish institutions to promote rambuttan and duriyan as there are separate institutions to protect coconut, palmyra and kitul industries.

He also proposed the authorities to introduce a scheme to find foreign markets to send fresh duriyan and rambuttan within a few days after plucking them from trees.