Vietnamese Dragon Fruits or Pitaya have been conquered successfully more than 40 countries over the world, including some pickiest markets.
Why are Vietnamese Dragon Fruit well-known worldwide? Are there any difficulties or challenges?
Before going any further to the topic, let’s start with some general information about the Dragon Fruit.
Introduction to the Dragon Fruits
Dragon Fruits belongs to the Cactus family called Hylocereus. If you are not familiar with the name “Dragon Fruit”, you may know “Pitaya or Pitahaya”. According to many historians, this kind of fruit originated in Central America. Currently, it appears primarily across Southeast Asia.
Health benefits of Pitaya
• Promote the human digestive system
Dragon Fruits are high in fiber, which contributes to bowel regularity and prevents constipation.
• Boost the Immune System
The crop has a great concentration of Vitamin C. It boosts the human immune system and protecting the human body from infections effectively.
• Prevent cancer
Antioxidants in the Dragon Fruits can help the human body to kill harmful free radicals, which cause human cells and DNA to be damaged.
• Control Cholesterol levels
The fruit flesh offers plenty of health benefits and the tiny black seeds are also a source of vitamins. It provides Omega-3 fats and mono-unsaturated fats, which help to control the cholesterol level in the body.
• Lower blood glucose for diabetes
Pitaya is a great source of fiber. It is required to control and balance blood glucose content moderately.
The road to success of Vietnamese “Thanh long”
Production
Thanks to the tropical climate conditions, Vietnam has the largest area and output of Dragon Fruits in Asia. Currently, we are the leading exporter of this fruit in the global markets.
There are three main large-scale intensive farming in Vietnam: Binh Thuan, Tien Giang, and Long An. The production at these three provinces accounts for 96% of the country’s output.
The Pitaya grown in Vietnam has two main cultivars: Red/Pink skin with white flesh and Red/Pink skin with red flesh. The red flesh accounts for only 5% of the production while the rest of 95% is for the white flesh. In contrast, the red flesh has a higher price of 40,000VNĐ per kilogram compared to 20,000VNĐ per kilogram of the white flesh.
Achievements
Some years ago, Dragon Fruit or Vietnamese” Thanh long” was a fresh concept in the West. But today, it is now available in some most demanding markets in the world such as America, Australia, etc.
China still keeps the first position in importing dragon fruits in Vietnam, followed by the United States. The total export revenue increased considerably from 32.77 to 895.7 million USD between the year 2008 and 2016.
The prospects of future Vietnamese dragon fruits
Joining hands to “rescue” dragon fruits of the whole country after the COVID19 outbreak achieved many positive results. The consumer market is gradually reopened. Price is now similar to the price before the epidemic.
Besides, Vietnam’s dragon export policy also recognizes dragon fruits as priority agricultural products. In particular, this fruit is exempt from VAT and entitle to the export tax rate of 0%.
In exporting procedures, companies only need to pay customs fees according to regulations and comply with the technical requirements of the importing party. Hence, “Thanh long” can gain an advantage in worldwide price competition.
Eco-Fruits works closely with local farmers across Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to ensure product quality. We’re capable of providing high -quality dragon fruits at a reasonable price to many markets around the globe.
Contact us for quotations and collaborating opportunities.
