Archive · 3 Aug 2026
Rambutan Grows as Kerala’s New Cash Crop
In Kerala, a state in India, farmers used to grow rubber for money.
Rubber prices have gone down and it’s hard to find workers to harvest it.
So many farmers started planting rambutan trees instead.
Rambutan is a small, spiky fruit that can be sold for about ₹100 a kilogram.
A single tree can produce up to 300 kilograms after a few years, giving a farmer about ₹30,000 a year.
The fruit is already sold in cities like Chennai and Bengaluru, but farmers want to reach more places and even export it to Gulf countries.
They need better cold‑chain transport to keep the fruit fresh.
A big meeting will be held on August 8 to plan how to grow and sell rambutan more widely.
Rambutan trees are replacing rubber in Kerala’s midland districts as a new cash crop.
The crop covers nearly 25,000 acres, producing about 1 lakh tonne and generating ₹1,000 crore in revenue this season.
Farmers report yields of up to 300 kg per tree, translating to ₹30,000 annual income per tree at ₹100/kg.
The fruit is mainly sold in Chennai and Bengaluru, with plans to expand to Hyderabad, Delhi, and Gulf markets.
Challenges include short shelf life, need for refrigerated transport, and misinformation on social media.
- Who
- Small farmers in Kerala’s rubber‑belt districts and the Rambutan Mangosteen Farmers’ Organisation
- What
- The rapid rise of rambutan fruit as a profitable cash crop
- When
- Every June during the monsoon season, with the current harvest season underway
- Where
- Kerala’s Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Wayanad, Idukki and surrounding districts
- Why
- Falling rubber prices, labour shortages, and changing weather are pushing farmers to seek alternative income sources
- Crop area
- 25,000 acres
- Production
- 1 lakh tonne
- Revenue
- ₹1,000 crore
- Yield per tree
- up to 300 kg
- Price per kg
- ₹100
