Dragon fruit good option to diversify cultivation in Almería, Spain

Thanks to attractive profit margins, tropical fruit is seen as an interesting option to expand the supply of fruit and vegetables in Almería's greenhouses. And one of the crops that growers have their eye on is dragon fruit. According to Juan Jose Hueso, research coordinator at the Experimental Station Cajamar de Las Palmerillas and specialist in subtropical and Mediterranean fruit cultivation, this fruit is a tropical climbing cactus native to southern Mexico and Central America, which grows on widely grown in Southeast Asia. The cultivation is perennial and requires protection against excessive radiation in summer. As a result, dragon fruit is usually grown under wire mesh or plastic. The plants are undemanding to water and the pest and disease pressure is currently very low. The researcher explains that the agricultural credit institution started a trial cultivation of dragon fruit in 2012. Cajamar is currently working with several institutions, producer organizations and ...