Agri-Business, Production, Processing and Marketing Information ...

Europe sees potential for pitahaya
Nicaragua promotes red variety
LATyear saw the start of a special
promotion to increase sales
of red pitahaya from Nicaragua in
g-,r
Europe. This season the campaign,
jointly funded by the EU and the
.
Nicaraguan Institute for Agrarian
Reform, will continue and exporters
are keen to consolidate Nicaragua's
position as the world's second
largest producer of this small tropical
fruit.
Yellow pitahaya has been available
4.
throughout Europe for at least 10
years now and many leading fruit
companies regularly source limited
volumes from Colombia. Red varieties,
on the other hand are still
something of a novelty with consumers
and production is less wide­
4*
spread "Colombia leads the world in
the supply of red pitahaya but production
is expanding rapidly in
Nicaragua as more and more shoppers
are made aware of the appeal of
this delicious fruit", EU consultant
Jacques Hesen told Eurofruit
Magazine "Lesser tonnages are also
produced in Mexico, Honduras,
Behze and Vietnam There is also
speculation that Israel may be experimenting
with tunnel production in
" .,
i f-.10
. . ..- '
N
caroua wants to mcrease soles of red pluhayoi Europe
the high retail cost of the pitahaya is 1,000 to 1,200 plants per hectare and
justifiable given the expense of production can rise to 60 fruits per
planting and managing even a small plant after five years. A well main­
plantation. tained plantation will produce fruit
Acquiring planting material and for up to 20 years
the Negev Desert"
There are currently four types of
pitahaya being produced on a camiiercil
basis but industry sources
say they expect matcr developments
in varietal output in the near future
Nicaragua produces a red pttahaya
wilth "fluorescent" flesh the rind of
which, like that of all pitahayas, is
trellises can push up the cost of cultivation
to around US$10,000 per
hectare but the pitahaya is a hardy
plant which seems to prosper in a
wide range of environments
Although the fruit beloings to the cacis
family it thrives ii climates with
at least six months rainfall of
between 800ram and 1,000mm a
Production is mainly geared
towards thu fresh market but
Nicaragua also supplies the juicing
industry The pitahaya's exotic
appearance and well defined shape
and colour make it very popular in
fruit drrangements and its increasing
popularity has even prompted some
people in the exotics tride to label it
covered In "scales" or bracts which
can var , in size, shape, number and
colour Guatemala also produces this
type of pitahaya but this year
Nicaragua is introducing a new yellow
variety which is much sweeter
year. In Colombia pitahaya is grown
at altitudes of up to 1,500m but red
varieties can flourish at a height of
between 300m and 500m or even at
sea level Pitahaya can be produced
in rich volcanic soils or in areas
the "Latin kiwifruit".
It is also claimed that the pitahaya
has certain medicinal properties
which are good for those with diabetes
or endocrinic problems In
Nicaragua the fruit is being promoted
Mexico and Vietnam produce a red
variety which ha, white flesh while
growers in Colombia are concentrating
on a yellow pitahaya with almost
colourless flesh Small black seeds,
similar to those found in kiwifruit,
are common toall types of pitahaya
Production of pitahaya is still in its
infancy but growers ii Nicaragua feel
that there is tuc.h room for improvecent
with regard to cultivation techiques
The pitl,daya season runs
froin May to ()clob
where the soil is poor and stony like
Yucatan in Mexico
Planting takes place at the beginning
of the rainy season and the crop
requites the usual maintenanre of
weed control, pruning and plant support
There have been few reported problems
with disease or pest and siibsequ,itly
the use of agrochemicals has
been kept to a minimum "lhe first
flower,, appear with the onset of tl
as a source of natural coulourants
II Europe red pitahaya is available
through several leading importers
although Nicaragua distributes
almost exclusively through the
Netherlands
Presentation is in boxes of around
3 3kg containing between nine and
12 fruits and pitahaya shows good
shelf-life when stored at between
10C and 12uC Major European
mporlers are predicting that the fruit
t r but better irrigation
could help to extend the se'son
dild improve mrketing and
export opportunities open to produ.ers
Growers ii Ni( ragua say tiit
rains and development from flower
to ripe fruit lakes aroumd 40 days
Production coieuiet. s one year
after planting at a rate of .3-4 fruits
per plant A itorial crop density is
has a good marketing future and
growers in Nitiruguta hope that their
version of the "Latin kiwifruit" will
soon be a regular addition to the
tEiroppai shopltig baskel U
Eurofruit Magazine October 1994