Ecuador’s exotics fruit industry is eagerly awaiting the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China to start to increase yellow dragon fruit exports to that Asian country.
Luis Jaramillo, General Manager of Pandora Farm in Ecuador: “Even though China opened its market, there has not been big volume that has been requested now. Hopefully with the new Ecuador government and once the FTA between our country and China is ratified by or government we will see the reduction of tariffs with 20% of import costs for yellow pitahaya. We will get this benefit and hopefully these exports to China will increase.”
Luis Jaramillo, General Manager of Pandora Farm in Ecuador.
Pandora Farms are growers and exporters of exotic fruit like yellow and white skin dragon fruit as well as passion fruit, sweet cucumber, tamarillo and avocados. “We export to the US and also Canada. We have clients in Spain, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Our main market is the US. Exotic prices in the US are around an average of $16 for yellow pitahaya and red pitahaya at $18. It will help us to keep the business going.”
Jaramillo says the mainly export the exotics via airfreight, with the fruit harvest and sent as quickly as they can. “We try to keep the freshness and quality of the fruit that’s why we export by air. Each week we export between 10-20 pallets. We have our own farm for yellow pitahaya, while we source from local farmers too. We source from other farmers for the export of other fruit types.”
A box with different exotics grown and exported by Pandora Farm.
He says each season has its challenges with the weather and climate playing a big role this season. “The biggest challenges for our business is to keep on exporting high quality fruit every week. Due to the weather conditions caused by El Niño, this year it will be very strong in our country and the rains will affect the quality of some of the fruits. These are things you cannot control, but we have prepared to avoid flooding in our farms. With these improvement we have made in our farms we will try to export the best fruit quality,” states Jaramillo.
For more information:
Luis Jaramillo
Pandora Farm
Tel: +593 9844 29770
Email: l.jaramillo@pandorafarm.ec
www.pandorafarm.ec