Manggis Palasari Serasi is the name given to the fruit grown in Selemadeg, in the west of Pupuan, which has been deemed superior to the fruit grown in other areas. The demand for mangosteen remains high, with 4,000 tons of the fruit sold to China last year. A new agreement has Chinese importers agreeing to buy 4,000 containers of them over the next five years. The fruit is sought after for its sweetness but also for its proclaimed health benefits.
A spokesperson for the department of Agriculture and Horticulture in Tabanan said the fruit was granted a patent owing to its high quality in that area. No other region can sell its fruit under this brand name. The news was greeted enthusiastically by Pupuan’s mangosteen farmers. Chairman of the Association of Selemedag Pupuan Mangosteen growers, Jro Tesan Putu, said the mangosteens are much sought after, especially by the Chinese market. He hopes the patent will boost exports, stabilise prices and avoid the intervention of middlemen. On average, mangosteen sell for around Rp 20,000 per kilo. About 80 percent of the fruit is exported and the remaining 20 percent is sold locally and processed into juice.