Dragon fruit cultivation expands in Murcia, Spain

The cultivation of dragon fruit, also called pitahaya, has grown considerably in recent years in many Spanish areas, including the Murcia region. One of the largest plots in Murcia is in the municipality of El Cocón, in the Guadalentín region, where more than 6,000 plants currently produce about 10,000 kilograms of fruit per year. But according to the owner of Dragón Ibériko, the annual yield will probably be about 60,000 to 70,000 kilos within a few years. The owner explains that the cultivation of this peculiar fruit is "a bit delicate" because the pollination has to be done manually. "This is because it is a flower that only opens for one night and then you have to be there to pollinate it. The plant comes from Latin America and there are large insects and bats that take on this task. Here we have that luck is not and there is no other way than to lend a hand to the pollination." Different types of dragon fruit are grown in El Cocón, from deep red pitahayas to pink or yellow, ...