Fiji has a long history of eggplant exports dating back to 1996 when NWC opened for business. There are three main eggplant varieties that are exported from Fiji to New Zealand, including:
Variety – Pritam (long purple)
General – Variety is also known as Long purple. Most common export eggplant variety in Fiji. Desirable for curry because flesh does not turn black during cooking. Good disease tolerance and post-harvest handling attributes.
Size range – 20 – 25 cm in length. 3 – 5 cm in width.
General shape – Long, straight with same thickness throughout the fruit.
Main colour of skin at harvest maturity – Bright purple
Variety – Chahat
General – Second most important export eggplant variety in Fiji. Most widely used eggplant variety in the hotel industry in Fiji because of its similarity to Western varieties such as ‘Black beauty’.
Size range –13-17 cm in length. 5- 8 cm in width.
General shape – Long and narrow at the stem end turning to round (bell shaped) at the blossom end. Generally straight without curves.
Main colour of skin at harvest maturity – Dark purple (the colour looks different from Pritam)
Other remarks – Preferred variety for Indian dish ‘Chokha’ and Fijian dish ‘Baigani vaka lolo’.
Variety – Round purple
General – Export variety with desirable cooking qualities for grilling and frying.
Size range – 9-12 cm in length. 9 – 12 cm in width.
General shape – Round with grooves/segments from stem end to blossom end.
Main colour of skin at harvest maturity – Dark purple
Other remarks – Preferred variety for the Sikh and Gujarati stuffed eggplant dish known as ‘bharta’ or ‘rawaia’.
