Challenges for the pitahaya sector in Piura

A few years ago, farmers from Montero, Ayabaca, in the highlands of Piura (Peru) of the NGO Cooperativa Agraria Ecológica y Solidaria Piura (Piura Ecological and Solidarity Agrarian Cooperative), took up pitahaya cultivation in the hope of a promising market.

 

However, the reality has been different. According to local media, despite tireless efforts to boost pitahaya cultivation, the scarcity of demand has led to extreme measures: the fruit sells for only 4 soles ($1.05) per kilo, a price that makes it difficult to cover production costs.

 

Overproduction has been identified as the main cause of this drop in prices. The average fortnightly production of a group of farmers associated with this NGO is estimated at 700 kilos, which further aggravates the economic challenges they face.

 

In this dilemma, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) and the Regional Directorate of Agriculture of Piura (DRA-Piura) also have their share of responsibility, as they failed to adequately guide producers to avoid over-sowing.