HISTORY OF THE RAMBUTAN CROP (Nephelium lapacceum) IN MEXICO

Abstract

Rambutan (Nephelium lapacceum) is an exotic fruit with increasing demand, whose presence in México has scarcely been attempted to be explained based on some approaches to reality. In this study an ordered recounting of facts related to the introduction of rambutan in México is presented, by doing interviews with people who were part of this history in Soconusco, Chiapas, and complemented with bibliographical information. The presence of this species in México is consequence of a series of isolated events that took place during a period of almost 60 years, since the first attempt to introduce it in 1959. In this lapse of time rambutan was introduced into México at least five times, primarily in the region of Soconusco, Chiapas, which explains the high genetic diversity of the fruit produced in México. The technique of graft propagation and the search for commercialization paths were defining factors for the establishment and dissemination of this crop, with great economic potential for México.