An explosive increase in the amount of pitahaya plantations is causing severe struggles in the industry in Ecuador. 

Currently, low prices have made the fruit unprofitable because they are not able to obtain quality fruit and some producers are being forced to close their crop.

FreshFruitPortal.com spoke with pitahaya producer and exporter Ramón Martínez, manager of Hacienda Laia Margarita, who says the quick success of the fruit caused many to start producing. Excess supply has led to price drops, and producers are desperate to sell at any price.

Martinez explains that many people started planting acres of pitahaya knowing it had good returns of up to five dollars per kilo, "it was like having a diamond mine. So the problem is that there is more fruit than demand in the market."

The fruit is selling at very low prices in the U.S. market as buyers know of the excess supply. 

Martines says that the situation for producers is difficult to recover. 

"If we add that other countries are increasing their production such as Peru, which still cannot export to the United States, but they can send to Europe. This means that Ecuadorian fruit is going to be gathered together, plus Peruvian fruit, no distinction is generated in terms of fruit quality and all fruit is handled in the same range," he says.

According to Martinez, the only way to have good prices is to produce better quality fruit, with good flavor, color, and size.

"I have been offered farms with up to 15 hectares of pitahaya. I believe that many growers are going to be left behind.  The grower who has five hectares but finds it difficult to locate the fruit and when he locates the routes he is paid 20 cents per kilo, does not have the numbers to cover the expenses of the crop." 

Given the complex scenario experienced by Ecuadorian producers, the manager of Hacienda Laia Margarita said that there is a possibility that farmers will have to reduce the number of workers and inputs required for the crop. 

"Nowadays Ecuador is not producing large fruit, it is producing small sizes, because the plant overproduces, it does not reach the same sizes as when we started growing. The indiscriminate abuse of obtaining more kilos to earn more, has become a trap," says Martinez.

Solution 

For Martínez, the solution to save the industry lies in regulating cultivation.

"In addition, there is misinformation on the part of the people who want to invest in the crop. And they must know what market the fruit will go to and what market needs the product."

He concludes by saying "This has a bad ending and it is the bankruptcy of many producers. Because they do not have the fruit located, they have no one to sell to, and those who have someone to sell to are paying prices that do not justify the crop."