“Dragon fruit is a plant from the cactus family. It is a plant that saves water, that knows how to save water well, which is important in the Algarve, and that has existed in the Algarve and in Portugal for many years, but it is a recent crop for fruit production”, said Amílcar Duarte, a professor at the University of Algarve, to Lusa agency.

This fruit is native to regions of Central America and Mexico, but in recent years it has been increasingly cultivated in other continents, with particular importance in countries such as Israel, Brazil, and China.

Amílcar Duarte, who is also a researcher at the Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development (MED), is leading a project funded by the European Union that has set up an experimental field to study the fruit on the outskirts of Vila Nova de Cacela, in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António.

“The conclusions we reached within the scope of the project were that it is a viable crop [in the Algarve], it is viable both in greenhouses and outdoors […] as long as there is no frost”, explained the professor.

The production of the experimental field, with around 800 plants, set up in 2019, is already sold, for example, at the weekly producers' market in Olhão and has managed to face the competition from dragon fruit imported from large international producers.

“It is a fruit that is sweet, it is pleasant. And it is a fruit that is very good for your health. It is a nutraceutical, […], a nutritious food and, therefore, it is of interest for that reason. It fetches high prices and, therefore, it is viable to produce it in the Algarve, selling at these high prices”, stated Amílcar Duarte.

Pitaya is a fruit typical of tropical and subtropical areas and is part of the cactus family, and is harvested in the summer and early autumn.

Its external appearance leads to it also being known as the “dragon fruit”, with its fleshy interior, consisting of black seeds, which can be white or red in colour. Its flavour is sweet and refreshing, and some people compare it to that of watermelon.

Amílcar Duarte highlighted the importance of this plant for the many small farms in the Algarve, providing small farmers with a high yield per unit.

“This crop has aroused great interest, because it is an exotic fruit, with a different appearance from what we are used to and a plant that saves water”, said the university professor.

Amílcar Duarte stressed that interest in buying dragon fruit has increased among consumers and also among producers, who are seeking to “diversify” their production.