The Malaysian Insider :: Food
The Malaysian Insider :: Food |
| Harumanis fans pre-book fruits online Posted: 09 May 2014 10:00 PM PDT It is harvest season for the "harumanis" mango, and visitors are coming in droves to Perlis. Fans of the fruit have waxed lyrical about its exotic taste and due to the limited production, it is not uncommon to see people lining up to buy the fruit. The marvellous mango is only grown in the state and is only in season from mid April to early June. The price of harumanis can go up to RM35 a kilogramme, but this has not stopped people from buying boxes of the succulent, tropical fruit. In fact, some have even "booked" the fruits online, before it is even harvested. During its season, the harumanis is not only enjoyed as it is, but also eaten with glutinous rice or juiced. Avid fans are known to willingly wait a long time to be served the delicacies in crowded stalls and restaurants. Many people buy harumanis because of its delicious taste and aroma, but the fruit is as good for health as it is to the palates. Harumanis is high in antioxidants such as vitamin C and E, in addition to water-soluble fibres. It can also lower cholesterol levels and reduce phlegm. During its season, the harumanis can be found in Bukit Bintang, Paya Kelubi and Chuping. Low production Although the demand for harumanis is extraordinarily high, growers and producers cannot meet the demand as annual production is only around a few hundred tonnes. Apart from small cultivation plots, erratic weather has also affected the production of the climate-sensitive fruit. In addition to that, growers also have to battle with the attack of pests. The state government is planning to upsize harumanis orchards to 1,000 hectares by 2015, with a production target of 1,500 tonnes a season. To meet the target, the state will launch a harumanis cottage programme in selected areas. Under the programme, every villager will be encouraged to plant at least five harumanis trees in open areas, including in front of their houses. Rising prices As with the previous harumanis seasons, many were forced to leave empty-handed due to the limited production. Even the fruits on the trees have been pre-booked online. Traders have opened up booking as early as March 1. Those who booked early would be able to get the first harvest in April, deemed the best but also the most expensive. An online trader has set the price at RM100 for four kilogrammes of harumanis, for delivery in the peninsula. The delivery charge is set at RM38, making the cost of four kilogrammes of harumanis RM138. The amount of serving is only fit for around three people. To serve more than 20 people, the trader suggested purchasing 30 kilogramme of harumanis at RM750. Factor in the delivery rate of RM158, and one would be spending RM908 to serve mango for around 20 people. The price of RM25 per kilogramme is expected to last only until May 15. Traders expect the price to increase to between RM30 and RM35 a kilogramme following the 17th Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Perlis and the school holidays. Survey revealed many harumanis traders have made use of social networks to promote their business and collect bookings. The Perlis Menteri Besar, Azlan Man, believed that this year's harumanis production would be more than last year's due to the dry weather during the blooming period, a condition considered optimal for good mango production. The state government is always working towards improving production of the highly sought after harumanis, and has entrusted Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) to conduct research on it. The university has been successful in coming up with harumanis plants that produce fruits all year round. UniMAP Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kamarudin Hussin said the year-long fruiting harumanis was grown at the Lestari Agrotechnology Institute (Insat) in Sungai Chuchoh. UniMAP will be taking on the success to a commercial level by undertaking a pilot project with JBP Asia Pasific Sdn Bhd. The project will be carried out in a 14-hectare area in Insat that will become part of UniMAP campus in Sungai Chuchuh near here. In favour of harumanis The effort to increase the harumanis production has also caught the attention of the Raja Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, who launched the simultaneous planting of 1,000 harumanis plants statewide two years ago. Meanwhile, the Perlis Agricultural Department Director Zulkepli Amin Mat Jusoh expects this season's harumanis production to exceed 1,000 tonnes, following the long drought. The dry spell allows the blooms to thrive and flourish, making for better fruits. The harumanis was previously known as the MA128 and was introduced by the Perlis Agricultural Department under the Second Malaysia Plan (1971-1975) to help farmers to supplement their income. It was first started in 1983 as a cluster project in Paya Kelubi and Bukit Kedah. Its cultivation area was once 1,200 hectares under the Perlis Integrated Agricultural Development Project in 1990. However, the area was reduced to a mere 150 hectares by 2006, due to pest attacks and diseases, leaving growers overwhelmed. In 2007, the Gema Harumanis programme was launched by the Agricultural Department, and cultivation area was increased to around 1,000 hectares. The Perlis government has also allocated RM9 million under the 10th Malaysia Plan to further develop the harumanis industry. – Bernama, May 10, 2014 |
| Floating pop-up restaurant to open in Cannes Posted: 09 May 2014 07:51 PM PDT Over four days, the Trattoria al Mare S.Pellegrino will allow 400 guests to enjoy an exceptional menu prepared by Italian chef Marco Stabile and French chef Alain Llorca, all at absolutely no cost. Seven boats will drop anchor in the Bay of Cannes, where the lucky guests will enjoy lunch or dinner. Each boat can accommodate four to six diners at a time. The only way to reserve a table on this unusual floating restaurant is by calling a confidential phone number, which will be posted only in certain strategic locations along the Croisette starting on May 14. So festival goers will have to keep their eyes open if they want to find the secret number. – AFP Relaxnews, May 10, 2014 |
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