Dragon Fruit Guide

As of December 2020, in Asia, Vietnam ranks first in dragon fruit production with about 50,000 Ha. However, in 2020, due to several factors, dragon fruit export in the first 10 months of the year only reached USD 961.4M, down 10.8% over the same period in 2019; October alone, down 38.4% over the same month last year, only reached USD 62.9M. Fruits are the main export category in the structure of exported fruits and vegetables in Vietnam, of which dragon fruit is the main fruit export category.

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There are different types of dragon fruit. The three main ones include:

• Hylocereus undatus or Pitaya Blanca. It has pink/red skin, white flesh, and black seeds. Common varieties are Alice, Cosmic Charlie, David Bowie, Guyute, Harpua, L.A. Woman, Neitzel, Seoul Kitchen, Thomson, and Vietnamese Jaina.
• Hylocereus costaricensis (Hylocereus polyrhizus) or Pitaya Roja. It has pink/red skin, red flesh, and black seeds. Common varieties are Bloody Mary, Red Jaina, Voodoo Child, and Zamorano.
  
• Hylocereus megalanthus or Pitaya Amarilla. It has yellow skin, white flesh, and black seeds. 
  

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• Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) is a fungal disease that can infect dragon fruit. It causes halo-like concentric lesions on stems and fruit.

• Bipoaris cactivora is a pathogen that causes black/brown spotting on pitaya blossoms and fruit. When the infection is severe, it manifests in branch/stem rot as well. Fusarium oxysporum has also been found to infect dragon fruit.

• Cactus ‘Virus X,’ or cactus mild mottle virus, is a new virus afflicting pitaya. The infection appears as a splotchy mottling of light and dark green areas (mosaic) on branches.
  

• Enterobacteria stem soft rot usually afflicts the tips of pitaya branches. Symptoms appear about 15 days from infection, wherein the tips of the plant soften, yellow, and begin to rot. Most of the time, this disease is fairly benign, although it is wise to cut off the diseased branch.

• Botryosphaeria dothidea is another fungal infection that results in blotchy red/brown lesions on the stems of the cacti. Sometimes this looks like a ‘bull’s eye’ target, and sometimes there may be multiple spots coalescing together. This disease begins as yellowing on the infected branch.

Most diseases spread through unsanitary gardening practices, specifically unsanitary tools. It is important to sterilize the tools between uses. Tools can be sterilized with rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or a very weak bleach/water solution. Some diseases are spread via contact between an infected plant and an uninfected plant, so it’s a good idea to allow some space between plantings. Otherwise, treatment for fungal diseases may consist of the application of a copper fungicide. But the best way to manage disease in dragon fruit is to practice sanitary practices.

Keep an eye out for sap-sucking bugs such as leaf-footed Leptoglossus. These insects are known to be a vector that can spread B. dothidea. Dragon fruit may also attract ants, beetles, and fruit flies, but for the most part, pitaya has few pest problems especially in comparison to other crops.

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In March 2020, Customs officials in Nanning, Guangxi province, detected three distinct pathogens for the first time while testing samples of dragon fruit imported from Vietnam. The dragon fruit samples tested positive for pitaya stem canker disease (Neoscytalidium dimidiatum) and Bipolaris cactivora, both of which primarily affect dragon fruit, diminishing its appearance, and making it more susceptible to rot. The situation with Vietnam’s dragon fruit exports to China may be even bleaker. Since China strengthened its testing standards for agricultural products, numerous shipments of Vietnamese dragon fruit have been rejected at ports of entry. In response to this problem, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has set out to increase the quality of the country’s dragon fruit by accelerating the mechanization of production and establishing a complete production chain. Now that the epidemic in China appears to be gradually drawing to a close, customs procedures at ports of entry are beginning to return to normal. While doing everything to control the spread of the virus, customs officials at Friendship Pass, a checkpoint on the China–Vietnam border, have been working vigorously to restore cross-border activities. Since the outbreak, however, China has raised its testing standards for agricultural imports, thereby presenting a new and substantial challenge for Vietnamese fruit exporters. Increasing fruit quality has now become a leading priority for this sector.

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In recent years, dragon fruit consumption has become more and more popular in the world because of its deliciousness and nutrient richness, the demand has therefore continuously increased year by year, but also so many countries have been and are constantly expanding the acreage of growing this fruit, especially China.

The demand for dragon fruit in the world is currently growing at about 4% per year, and this trend is forecasted to continue.

• Asia: Dragon fruit demand in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines has also increased in recent years. Japan and Korea are also increasingly interested in dragon fruit due to the health benefits that dragon fruit brings.

• China: In recent years, dragon fruit demand in China has constantly increased, thanks to the wonderful benefits of dragon fruit and the changing diet of the people. China has long been a major export market for Vietnamese dragon fruits. Because Chinese people are especially fond of dragon fruits, the area of domestic dragon fruit cultivation has increased more than 10 times. Currently, the area of dragon fruit is about 35,555 hectares, equivalent to the area of dragon fruit in Vietnam.

• Europe: Although dragon fruit is a relatively new fruit and has not been widely advertised, it is very promising and attracting more and more consumers. If the price of dragon fruit sold in Europe can be reduced and the good preservation and deliciousness are improved, Europe will become an attractive market for dragon fruits.

• United States: Analysts said that dragon fruit is a fast-growing and strong market soon, as evidenced by the fact that farmers in Florida and California have begun planting dragon fruit to meet market demand. In the US market, Columbia's white-yellow flesh dragon fruit is currently the top-rated for taste and appearance.

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The global dragon fruit market is projected to register an annual growth rate of 3.7% over the forecast period (2020-2025). The global dragon fruit market is growing at a robust rate, owing to the increasing demand for fresh dragon fruit. High production capabilities and good weather conditions contribute to the production of dragon fruits. The production of dragon fruits is majorly affected by several factors, such as environmental hazards, bio stress, and government policies of the country. Some of the major pests and diseases affecting dragon fruits are stem rot, anthracnose, mealybugs, aphids, etc. The unfavorable climatic conditions, such as continuous low temperatures, also have a negative influence on the growth of dragon fruits.

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