Peru eyes dragon fruit as next big export item

Global demand for pitahaya, also called dragon fruit, has increased during the pandemic due to the vitamin and minerals that the fruit contains, reported Agraria, a Peruvian news agency.

Pitahaya is rich in vitamin B, C, calcium, phosphorus, and iron as stated by Sierra y Selva Exportadora (SSE) during the First Virtual Macroregional Forum organized by them.

More than 300 companies who are interested in the positioning of this fruit as an alternative in the agricultural market attended the forum, such as Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico.

SSE stated that aside from the Amazonian area where the fruit originated, projects in Peru’s northern areas of Piura and Lambayeque have began to diversify and expand the region’s marketable supply of agricultural products.

Vietnam stands as the current main producer worldwide, while Ecuador, Colombia, and Nicaragua are leading producers. Limited production has prevented pitahaya from taking off in Peru, but growing demand worldwide may provide a new opportunity for growth.