Promising Potential for Ecuadorian Yellow Maracuya (Passion Fruit)

There are several varieties of passion fruit produced in Ecuador. The two most commercial varieties are yellow maracuya and purple passion fruit, with yellow maracuya being the main passion fruit produced in Ecuador. Yellow maracuya is bigger and has a higher juice content than the more widely known purple passion fruit. It weighs around 200 grams whereas the purple passion fruit weighs between 70 and 90 grams. Due to its higher juice content and bigger size, yellow maracuya is mainly used to make juice. Ecuador is the biggest yellow maracuya producer and exporter in the world.

Compared to yellow passion fruits from other countries such as Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, Ecuadorian yellow maracuya has the highest Brix grade and flavor. The average Brix level for Ecuadorian yellow maracuya is 17, whereas passion fruits from competing regions have average Brix levels of 15. According to Paul Riera, CEO of Tierra Organica, an agro-industrial export company operating in Ecuador, the main reason for the superior Brix grade and flavor is the perpendicular and stronger sunlight Ecuador receives, as it is located right on the equator.

As there is a year-round production of passion fruit in Ecuador, exporters can maintain stable prices for importers. The current FOB price for conventional yellow maracuya is 3.03 EUR per kg and organic yellow maracuya costs 4.08 EUR per kg. The yellow maracuya sold to juice processors are between 0.16 and 0.28 EUR per kg for conventional fruit and between 0.64 and 0.89 EUR per kg for organic fruit. The yellow maracuyas sold to juice processors have a significantly lower price because these maracuyas are the maracuyas that did not meet the visual standards to be sold to fruit importers. Juice processors only consider Brix grade and do not care about the visual quality of the fruit. The European market is the biggest export market for Ecuadorian passion fruits. The demand for passion fruit is growing in Europe as there is an increasing number of consumers who focus on healthy eating. Passion fruits, especially the yellow maracuya, are considered one of the healthiest fruits. 

Consumption of yellow maracuya can “enhance digestion, boost immune function, improve eye health, lower blood pressure, boost circulation, and improve bone mineral density,” according to Tierra Organica. Although the healthy super-food trend is growing in the U.S. as well, due to USDA’s strict import regulations, Ecuadorian passion fruits are not currently exported to the U.S market. In addition, the demand for organic fruits is growing globally and Tierra Organica is organically certified and is the first export company in Ecuador to partner with organic farming communities.