By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DRAGON FRUIT farmers in Phu Ruea district of Loei province are suggested to forget about Vietnam White or Siam Red and go for Israel Yellow instead.
Those are the different genuses of dragon fruit which the farmers may choose to cultivate and make earnings from the sales of their fruit at a domestic market. Nanthiya Srithatchantha, the chief district agriculture officer of Phu Ruea, has strongly recommended Israel Yellow as the genus of dragon fruit for the northeastern farmers to pick and grow profitably.
Many had earlier grown tapioca, sugarcane and maize in large quantities only to be offered the lowered prices by dealers at the market. Since the last several years, they have turned to dragon fruit for a change. Some have grown Vietnam White and others have opted for Siam Red.
Due to a sustained surplus in production, the dragon fruit farmers have found themselves in mutual price-cut competition which has only seen the prices plummet to as low as three to seven baht for a kilogramme of Vietnam White and a range of 25 to 30 baht for a kilo of Siam Red, according to the chief district agriculture officer.
Nanthiya noted Israel Yellow, which has become the preferable type of dragon fruit among today’s consumers, could eventually sell for as much as 100 to 120 baht a kilo in Thailand. That’s several times as much of a profit for the farmers.
While Vietnam White and Siam Red dragon fruit may have been provided in overabundant volumes at the fruit markets throughout the country, the Israel Yellow looks relatively rare, more tempting and definitely more expensive.
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Two varieties of dragon fruit at a market. Photo: Ella Olsson (CC BY 2.0)
