Prolonged Drought Compromises Balinese Mangosteen Quality

According to a local news report, the Indonesian island of Bali, which typically experiences substantial rainfall, is currently facing a prolonged drought due to the El Niño phenomenon, with the extreme dry conditions now having persisted since July. As a result, locally cultivated mangosteens have started to suffer from quality issues, with the fruit becoming deformed and developing spots on their skins.

In 2019, Bali exported 9,000 metric tons of mangosteens. In subsequent years, however, shipments to China were significantly disrupted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there has been a gradual recovery in export volumes since the end of 2022, mangosteen growers in Bali are now anxiously awaiting rainfall, hoping for the opportunity to once again export their high-quality mangosteens to the Chinese market.

Jro Putu Tesan, head of the Bali Mangosteen Producers Association, reported that prices will inevitably suffer if mangosteens are exclusively sold to the domestic market. Despite the recent adverse weather conditions, there is still the opportunity to improve fruit quality during the harvest. The association hopes that the government will offer support by providing essential equipment such as water pumps for orchard irrigation.

Mangosteens are primarily available in Bali between February and March, although harvesting is also possible in some areas from October to December. Currently, regions of Bali such as Jembrana and Buleleng, along with nearby islands such as Lombok and others in the West Nusa Tenggara archipelago, have commenced their mangosteen harvests. The current market prices are reportedly fluctuating between 20,000 and 60,000 Indonesian rupiah ($1.30–3.89) per kilogram.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.