This Monday, April 11, the first shipment of yellow pitahaya will leave Ecuador for China. It will do so from Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport.

And this after China opened its market for this exotic Ecuadorian fruit a few weeks ago after completing all procedures for companies registered with the General Customs Administration to start their exports in accordance with the signed protocol between the two countries, reported the Embassy of Ecuador in China.

Ecuadorian pitahaya gets sanitary approval to enter China

This opening is not for everyone, but for the production farms and collection centers listed on the China Customs website, which are in compliance with the protocols required by the phytosanitary authorities.

The last inspection was performed by Chinese technicians virtually on February 16, which was the last of the eight stages of this process and in which they confirmed the implementation of the provisions of the export quarantine protocol.

Pitahaya has undergone an important development. According to official data, in the last five years export production has increased twelvefold. Thus, between 2017 and 2022, deliveries increased from 1,935 tons to 23,319 tons. Dollar sales also saw good growth, increasing sevenfold over the years, from $12.9 million to $99.4 million.

Last year alone, this product represented the country in sales of almost 100 million dollars. In addition, there are high expectations among domestic producers, because with the validity of the trade agreement that is expected to be signed with China, the customs duty will drop from 20% to 0%.

Ecuador exported the first container of pitahaya to Europe

The current main market for Ecuadorian pitahaya is the United States. 83% of the revenue generated in 2022 was from exports to that country. Much smaller amounts are sent to other markets, for example $4.96 million to the European Union; in Canada $2.70 million; to Singapore 1.67 million dollars. Fruit arrives in 58 countries.

In addition, 15 million dollars worth of fruit was exported last January alone, data from the Central Bank show.