Fruit For Thought: Marang

Marang (Artocarpus odoratissimus) is not only as exotic as it sounds but also as it looks and tastes.

This tropical fruit tree that wouldn’t thrive in regions where temperature falls below 32° above zero looks like jackfruit and seeded breadfruit, but it is superior in quality to either of these. It’s indigenous in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao where it is popularly grown especially from July to September.

Marang tree is medium-sized to large. It grows to about 25 meters with a trunk diameter of 40 cm. It could grow in a wide range of soil types-from light to heavy soils-but it will grow better in deep, loamy soil with a pH ranging from 5.5-8. It also yields best in places that are elevated at 800 m above sea level.
It is propagated by budding, grafting, and marching. The seedlings are allowed to harden for at least two months when these are at least 1 foot tall with three pairs of leaves each. The ideal distance between seedlings in an open field is 6 m x 6 m in a square system. It can be intercropped while it is still unproductive. It starts to bear fruits at 4 to 5 years of age.

Its fruit is 16 cm long, 13 cm in diameter, and weighs about 1,000 to 1,800 grams. The thick, fleshy rind is thickly studded with greenish, yellowish, blunt spines. Inside it is a white, soft, sweet, and aromatic flesh from which many whites seeds easily separate. The fruit is also highly perishable that’s why it is carefully harvested by cutting its peduncle and then placing it in woven baskets or boxes.

Marang is a popular fruit dessert in Mindanao. After all, it is nutritious; it contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, crude fiber, ash, calcium, phosphorus, iron, retinol, beta-carotene, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid. The fruit has also a strong scent especially when it is ripe. Once opened, it should be consumed immediately or in just a few hours as it easily loses flavor and oxidizes. The seeds are also edible; these are boiled or roasted and can be processed into flour.

These are just some of the reason why marang has market potential. Its short shelf life, however, limits its uses but studies on postharvest and processing of marang are already undertaken to extend its shelf life.

One of these is the ongoing study titled “Improved Postharvest Technologies and Techno-Transfer for Marang”, which is funded by the High Value Commercial Crops and the Bureau of Agricultural Research of the Department of Agriculture. It is being conducted by Dr. Emma K. Sales, Dr. Nicolas A. Turnos, and Prof. Josephine G. Tangonan of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM).

Recipes for marang are also formulated, and among these are marang jam, paste, marmalade, jelly, concentrate, brittle, and flour. These are formulated and tested by retired USM professor Virgilia Tacardon Paclibar.

MARANG JAM
1. Cook 1 cup flesh of mature, ripe marang fruit (seeds removed) with 1 cup white sugar until thick.
2. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to improve appearance and flavor.
3. Fill the jam into a jar.
4. Exhaust for 10 minutes then process for 45 minutes to 1 hour.