New Zealand scientists help Vietnam develop new varieties of dragon fruit

Since 2013, New Zealand's Plant & Food Research, renowned for its apple and kiwifruit successes, has been working with Vietnamese partners to develop new, high quality dragon fruit varieties to further enhance their exports value. 

 

 

This project is led by Plant and Food Research Ltd. and has a budget of NZD $8.1 million (US $ 5.6 million). It was set up in partnership with the Vietnamese Research Institute and the Institute of Agricultural Technology and Post-harvest Technology.

 

 

 

According to project officials, the breeding program has identified 3 new dragon fruit varieties. Promising varieties that will offer a huge potenteil and could be available within a few months.

 

 

 

This research has allowed New Zealand scientists to discover that it would be possible to grow dragon fruit in Northland, New Zealand.

 

 

 

In Vietnam, dragon fruit crops cover nearly 53,000 hectares, and exports have more than 60 countries to destinations, making it the leading Vietnamese export product.