Thai fruit 'Longan' introduced in Chennai

Chennai, Sep 16: Thailand's best-known export, Longan, a fruit from the Lychee family, was introduced in the city with the inauguration of 'Thai Longan Fair.' A sweet aromatic fruit, Longan is edible directly and often used in East Asian soups, snacks, desserts and sweet-and-sour foods.

It thrives in monsoonal regions with pronounced rainy and dry seasons and the trees start to produce fruit around the month of June every year. The fruit is available in three varieties -- Biao Khiao, Dor and Si Chompu.

''We expect that our Thai 'Longan' will be well known and accepted here. We have been exporting sweet tamarind, lychee and pineapple in the past as fresh fruit, frozen fruit, canned or processed fruit.

Now, we are pleased to add 'Longan' to the basket,'' Mr Suphot Yanthukij, Consul General of Royal Thailand in Chennai, said after inaugurating the fair.

The function was organised by the Agriculture Extension Department, Government of Thailand.

Thailand is a major source of fruit supply to the world and its other exports include durian, rambutan, mangosteen, pomelo and longkong.

Longan constitutes a major chunk of Thailand's fruit export, beating pineapple, durian and pummelo in money value.

The 'Thai Longan Fair' was launched to acquaint overseas importers and consumers with the varieties of Longan, Mr Yanthukij said.

The fruit is priced between Rs 90 and 100 per kg.

UNI