However, in recent years, the dragon fruit produced in Taizhou has suffered a "soil and water". A few days ago, the reporter visited a number of dragon fruit growers in Taizhou to understand that, with the increase in the area of dragon fruit planted in Taizhou as well as outside the real estate of dragon fruit sources of input, Taizhou production of dragon fruit price "a drop". At the same time, by the frost and other weather effects, this year's dragon fruit production has been reduced.
Ripe dragon fruit
Drop in dragon fruit prices, farmers benefit "shrinkage"
In the town of Wenling Chengnan Eden dragon fruit planting greenhouses, a strain of dragon fruit trees are neatly arranged. As far as the eye can see, between the green verdant branches and leaves is reflected in a ripe rose-red dragon fruit, very nice.
The dragon fruit planting shed
But looking at their own dragon fruit, one of the people in charge of the Garden of Eden, Chen Meiping's face is not the joy of a good harvest. "In these years, the price of dragon fruit is cheaper and cheaper every year. We can't make much money." Chen Meiping said that Eden Garden has been planting dragon fruits for seven or eight years. When it first started planting, the wholesale price of a catty of dragon fruit could sell for about 15 yuan. Nowadays, early sold out of this price, "last year, our wholesale price of dragon fruit can still be sold to four or five yuan a catty, this year fell directly to two or three yuan a catty."
The dragon fruit can not sell the price, many growers have the same feeling. "Now grow dragon fruit, profits are getting thinner and thinner." Speaking of dragon fruit planting market, Luqiao Pengjie Township farmers Cao Renfu is very emotional.
Cao Renfu planted dragon fruit has been eight or nine years. Planting for many years, he saw the wholesale price of dragon fruit from the beginning of more than 10 yuan a catty fell to three or four yuan a catty, planting benefits have been declining.
Linhai grower Yu Lian, who began planting dragon fruit in 2013, also said the best time, an acre of land can be sold to 300,000 yuan, relying on picking tours can be fully digested, far better than the benefits of planting other fruits, and now it is far from reaching this level.
The reporter learned that the production of Taizhou dragon fruit varieties, according to the broad categories can be divided into red, white heart, yellow skin, white heart, etc., subdivided into red crystal, red, honey treasure. Different varieties, the price also varies a lot. But dragon fruit prices overall decline, has become a trend.
As for the future price trend of dragon fruit, Cao Renfu think not optimistic, "compared with the same period last year, the wholesale price of dragon fruit this year is cheaper than 1.5 yuan a catty. By next year, the price of dragon fruit will become cheaper and cheaper."
Expansion of planting area, the entry of foreign products,
Increased competition in the local market
The price of dragon fruit has fallen for several years, asked about the reasons for this, many growers said, with the expansion of planting area in Taizhou.
It is reported that dragon fruit is a tropical fruit, the climate, soil and other environmental requirements are high, but in the planting technology to improve the present, the introduction of Taizhou planting has not been a problem. Coupled with the high benefits of early planting dragon fruit, many fruit farmers have entered the game, hoping to get a share of the pie.
Placed on the roadside retail dragon fruit
According to data from the Taizhou Agricultural and Rural Affairs Bureau. Since 2011, Wenling, Luqiao, Jiaojiang and other places have begun to introduce dragon fruit, more than 90% of the varieties are red dragon fruit. At present, the planting area of dragon fruit in Taizhou is forecast to be 3,615 acres.
From the dragon fruit planting statistics, wenling, luqiao, yuhuan, tiantai, xianju, linhai is the dragon fruit planting more places, of which wenling amounted to more than 1000 acres.
The expansion of dragon fruit planting area, production increased, the price will naturally fall. At the same time, outside the real estate dragon fruit at a low price into the Taizhou market, the local production of dragon fruit price impact.
Multiple growers told reporters that due to improved transportation conditions, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and other real estate dragon fruit have entered the Taizhou market. Due to the hot climate in these places, suitable for dragon fruit growth, dragon fruit production is high, the price is cheaper.
"In order to prevent the transportation of loss of more, outside the real estate of dragon fruit is mostly seven or eight ripe when it is picked. And locally produced dragon fruits are mostly picked when they are ripe and taste sweeter." Chen Meiping said, however, the wholesale price of dragon fruits shipped from outside is sometimes as low as more than 1 yuan a catty, even though locally-produced dragon fruits have a better flavor and can't be sold at too expensive a price.
Adding insult to injury, the weather led to a reduction in dragon fruit production
This year, some growers are even worse, affected by the weather, dragon fruit production fell.
"Dragon fruit is afraid of cold and stagnant water. Last year, the frost weather was more powerful, many dragon fruit trees reduced production." Ms. Yang, who has planted dragon fruits in Linhai Yanjiang Township, told the reporter that last year she planted dragon fruits in an area of 10 acres. However, half of the dragon fruit trees were frozen to death due to the frosty weather. This year, she took half of the land directly and used it to plant strawberries.
Tiantai fruit farmer Chen Qinli also said their family's dragon fruit production has decreased. "Last year, our dragon fruit harvest was more than 10,000 pounds, and this year it's quite a bit less." Chen Qinli said that their dragon fruit trees are planted in the fields. Due to the low terrain, the cold air sinks, coupled with the construction of the shed material is average, poor insulation, affecting the growth of dragon fruit.
Successive rainy seasons this year have also led to a reduction in production of some dragon fruit. Luqiao red dragon fruit garden staff told reporters that the park dragon fruit planting scale is not large, only two or three acres. But the recent period of continuous rain, water has been over the dragon fruit planting, production has been greatly reduced.
Successive rainy days also made Chen Meiping very worried. "The leaves of these dragon fruits are a bit yellow, indicating that they are ready for picking. But it has been raining for the past few days and no one has come to the door to buy them. If no one comes again, these dragon fruits will rot in the ground." When taking the reporter around the Garden of Eden, Chen Meiping looked at a ripe dragon fruit and was distressed. She said that the dragon fruit has already been dumped once this year.
The dragon fruits that can't be sold may rot in the ground
"There's no way to do it, if these dragon fruits are sold at a reduced price, it will disrupt the market order, which in turn will depress the price of locally produced dragon fruits." The face of dragon fruit stagnation of this situation, Chen Meiping some helpless.
Transition crossroads, these good practices or can be learned
Decline in the benefits of dragon fruit planting, and even loss of money, many growers also embarked on a crossroads of choice. The reporter learned that some growers intend to change to other fruits, some growers are choosing to continue to plant.
"Directly give up, but also quite reluctant to give up." Chen Meiping said, planting dragon fruit cost is quite high, only shed building this one has invested millions of yuan, "planting dragon fruit on the shed insulation performance requirements, we build the shed, buy is more expensive material. An acre of land has to spend 30,000 to 40,000 yuan, while the ordinary grape growing greenhouses, an acre of land only a few thousand dollars."
The overall market downturn, the difficulties, Taizhou growers how to strengthen the "muscles and bones", out of a well-trodden path? This problem, some growers may be able to use the practice of reference.
Tiantai County, hope that the field of family farms since 2012, planting dragon fruit. Over the years, they planted dragon fruit sales price has not changed, the retail price of 20 yuan a catty, and not worry about selling. The person in charge, Cui Zhongjie, said that this is due to the good quality of dragon fruits and refined management, "The varieties of dragon fruits that we have introduced are of relatively high quality themselves. Plus, during the planting period, we practiced mechanized management and green planting, which boosted the quality of dragon fruit even more."
In addition, Tiantai County Hope Field Family Farm Joint Stock Company adopts a multi-channel sales approach, with 50% of the dragon fruits digested by picking tours, 30% of the production sold through online sales, and the rest by retail.