Rambutan is grown in Hawaii, but it is not exported to the mainland. Fresh rambutan is not permitted into the United States from Southeast Asia, but a limited amount of frozen product does arrive. According to Asian export statistics, Canada imported just less than 3 MTs of fresh rambutan from Malaysia in 1991. Canadian importers reported receiving production between September and December and in April for restaurants, caterers, and some retailers. Demand from the ethnic market was highest during the summer months.
Demand is limited, and there has been little cross-over appeal to the general population.
Imports of Thai canned rambutan, which supplies the market when fresh product is not available, totaled 35 MTs in 1992. Europe The Netherlands , because of its colonial experience, has a large population of Indonesians, who are the main consumers of rambutan. The Netherlands was the largest European importer of fresh rambutan in 1992. It imported an estimated 113 MTs, supplied mostly by Indonesia, with small amounts also entering from Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Honduras. The Netherlands also imported 54 MTs of Thai canned rambutan in 1992.