Dragon fruit, also referred to as the pitaya, was named the 2013 superfruit, but it has only been growing in popularity among Kenyan farmers for the past five years. The scaly, brilliant red, purple, or yellow-skinned tropical fruit has been buzzing through farming circles, minting its early farmers and importers some great profits. Before covid-19, the dragon fruit was retailing for approximately sh2000, and its sellers used to import it from other countries. Currently, farming of dragon fruit has increased locally, hence, you can now find the fruit in local supermarkets for approximately sh890 per kilogram on average.
When Dr. Freddie Acosta, a Strathmore University lecturer, first brought dragon fruit seeds into Kenya in 2015, he had a hard time finding buyers. Just the other day, he completed an order for 1200 cuttings for a farmer in Makuyu who is establishing a 25-acre dragon fruit farm. He also stated that the demand for dragon fruit in Kenya has really increased, especially among Asian nationalities. For example, he supplies two tons on a weekly basis to a Chinese restaurant within Nairobi city.
Pitayas start blooming in November and 45 days later, their fruits come forth. During the months of January and February, when most supermarkets and grocery stores import the fruits from South Africa, the supply is usually high hence the prices go down. Prices rise between July and November, just as the new harvesting season began.
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Waweru Murimi, a farmer from Malaa on Kangundo road had a rocky start in dragon fruit growing after losing Sh8,000 on seedlings he intended to buy in 2015. He resolved to import its cuttings from Dragon Fruit South-Africa Community. This was after reading about the fruit being a superfruit and that it has many health benefits as listed below.
Waweru received his first 80 cuttings in December 2016, which he utilized to grow his current more than 2000 vines on a one-quarter acre piece of land. He is a mixed farmer who grows a range of fruit trees including apples, papayas, and mangoes. However, he claims that farming of dragon fruits has been the easiest because they don’t need to be sprayed and because they are an exotic cactus species, hence they need very little water. He also added that once you’ve acquired the cuttings and built a stand, there’s not much else you have to invest in terms of manufacturing costs. In his first attempt he harvested approximately 200 fruits and in the second attempt, Waweru expected to harvest 500-1000 fruits.
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The third year of harvest is when the plant reaches its greatest productivity, which ranges from 32 to 100 fruits per plant. Waweru’s fruits are typically 600 grams to 1.2 kg in weight. The red and purple-fleshed variants are sweeter than the sour-sweet white-fleshed kind, and the fruits are characterized mostly by their color and flavor.
According to Waweru, the returns he gets from dragon fruit have been good. He received orders from as far as Uganda while the fruits are just flowering. “However, my impetus to start growing pitayas was not so much for the money as for my own domestic consumption: If someone is willing to part with Ksh1000 for two of my fruits, I should be able to enjoy the tremendous benefits to be found in its consumption as well,” Waweru says. He intends to extend his dragon fruit farm to five acres, so he’s importing 12 cuttings for a hybrid yellow type that’s sweeter and yields more than the local varieties at a cost of up to Sh20,000 for each piece.
Dragon fruits are pest and disease-resistant. They’re only vulnerable in the nursery and snails have destroyed a few of Waweru’s seedlings, but he has managed to control the snails using magnesium sulfate. Waweru also stated that rare fruit fly and rust infections may be treated with copper-based fungicides, but because he likes to produce his fruits organically, he uses neem oil or he cuts and discards diseased branches.
Kenyan farmers who have succeeded in cultivating the dragon fruit say it all starts with the selection of mature cuttings that are at least two years old and over 30cm in length, which take 9 to 18 months to develop, according to their study and direct experience. Locals charge Sh500 to Sh300 for a trimming. It takes four to six years to grow plants from seeds, and it takes at least two years to grow plants from underdeveloped (less than two-year-old) cuttings.
While the plant is drought tolerant, it still requires frequent watering to reach its full potential of growth and productivity. Waweru waters his fruits once or twice a week, albeit the weather dictates the frequency of irrigation. He also sprays organic foliars high in nitrogen on his plants to help them develop faster. They also contain phosphate and potassium, both of which promote blooming and fruit production.
The dragon fruit requires 8 hours of sunlight daily and an average temperature of 15-25°C, making it suitable for dry and semi-arid climates. It grows best in sandy soils, although it will grow in any type of soil as long as it is well-drained and not waterlogged. Because they can be seeded in containers, they are also perfect for urban farmers.
Because dragon fruits may grow up to 30 feet tall, its vertical growth must be controlled and supported by stakes and trellises. Waweru trains the vines by using a tire supported by two closing bars. You should plant 4 cuttings per concrete post, and one or two each four-inch-wide, six-foot-tall wooden pole. Pitayas fruit for 20 to 30 years before productivity declines, so it’s critical to employ long-lasting stakes.
Almost every part of a pitaya may be eaten; the roots, blossoms, and peels can be used to create herbal tea, the stems can be used to make soap, and the fruits can be used to wine, juices, yogurt, and smoothies.
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