Dragon Fruit What Am I?
Dragon Fruit is also referred to as Pitaya. Pitaya is used in many countries to describe the yellow skinned selections. Hylocereus undatus (the white-fleshed fruit) is a species of Cactaceae and is the most cultivated of that genus. Like all true cacti, the genus originates in the America’s and was first planted commercially in Central and South America.
These broad-leafed cactus-type vines, are cultivated in sub-tropicaland tropical regions throughout the world particularly for its health attributes.
Nominated as a Super-food in 2013.
Dragon Fruit plants flourish in warm to hot areas with good rainfall and in highly organic or composted soils. In most cases frost will kill the plants. The plants are fast growing epiphytes and flower up to 5 times throughout summer and autumn.
Commercial plantings are found in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Northern Australia, Philippines, Sri-Lanka, Hawaii, Israel, Cambodia, Taiwan and Cyprus and Southern China, and in various countries in Central and South America and more recently in the US.
To date less than 50ha of Dragon Fruit orchards have been established in South Africa, many of these plantings are not of the sweet cultivars. Older plants can be top-worked to the new selections. Many of the varieties are not always sweet to taste.
Amorentia propagates a selection of plants which have more recently been imported. These are a new generation of deliciously Sweet, red, pink and white fleshed Dragon Fruit.
Amorentia plants are free of all visible signs of Xanthomonas campestris, and are available in large numbers for commercial plantings on an exclusive basis to carefully screened growers.
The fruits are oval in shape with a leathery-pack of soft, pink, skin with fleshy leaf-like posterior projections bounded by greenish margins. They do perhaps look a bit like the scales on a Dragon.
The flesh is either white or reddish to deep pink with minute black seed-specs. The red varieties are often more of a psychedelic Burgundy-Red to Cerise-Pink. These deep colours are rather unbelievable for a fruit but are most inviting.
This remarkable, sweet fruit has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure, strengthen bones and teeth and promote healthy blood and tissue formation, strengthen the immune system, heal bruises and wounds faster and help with respiratory problems.
Dragon Fruits are truly one of the homes of the beauty industry.
Dragon Fruit is said to prevent constipation, promote eye health, increase bone density, help in the formation of cell membranes and the prevention of anaemia and anti-neuritis, angular cheilitis, lowering cholesterol and most interesting of all, Dragon Fruit is said to help treat diabetes.
Dragon Fruit contains certain beneficial vitamins and minerals. The fruit is rich in antioxidants, Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and C, polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotene, protein, calcium, iron and phosphorus.
One study showed that Dragon Fruit had a notable impact on oxidative stress and aortic stiffness in diabetic rats, suggesting the fruit may be beneficial in preventing complications associated with diabetes. The same study indicates the regular consumption of Dragon Fruit may lower the risks of developing heart disease and developing high blood pressure.
Dragon Fruit is known to be high in antioxidants. Present findings show that regular consumption of Dragon Fruit reduces weight considerably, creating a well-balanced body, without compromising other individual health matters. The seeds contain omega-3 fats. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids can fight inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Resulting from its nutritional make up, including antioxidants, monounsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fibre.
Dragon Fruit is an extraordinary beauty-enhancing fruit.
Growth & Production
Dragon Fruit are planted under ultra-high density orchard conditions. They are planted in rows with plant populations which vary from 1100 to 1350 plants per hectare. 2.5 x 5m or 2.5 x 4m apart on single reinforced concrete posts. Or on a T-bar trellising system similar to that used for Kiwi Fruit.
Each plant is trained up a single post or precast concrete post protruding 1.8m out of the ground. Attached to the top of the support post is a steel cross-brace mounted inside an old car or motorbike tire, through which the production laterals or branches are trained to spread out and then hang down towards the ground.
It is on these laterals that the Dragon Fruit flowers and fruit set occurs. Under Southern African growing conditions, Dragon Fruit plants must be established under irrigation.
Dragon Fruit are relatively easy to grow but establishment costs per ha are high. Under good growing conditions and with the right planting material, Dragon Fruit plants will yield their first fruit at two years old and be in full production by year 5. Yields per ha range from 20 – 30 tons per ha under variable conditions.
For commercial farming the life expectancy for a Dragon Fruit plant is 20 years. With the tremendous variability of selections and the consequential taste of Dragon Fruit in South Africa, together with older selections not being naturally-pollination , great care must be taken to source the right naturally-pollination selections which produce sweet fruits.
All the named selections supplied by Amorentia are naturally-pollination, sweet varieties or cultivars. A proportion of the licencing payments for Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit cultivar selections will be pooled and dedicated to the marketing and promotion of the Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit branded varieties. Become a lover of Dragon Fruit. They are healthy sweet and deliciously exotic, decorative and real conversation fruit.
Dragon Fruit prefer a dryer sub-tropical (to tropical) climate. Dragon Fruit will grow well in climates where Macadamia nuts, Avocados and Bananas are grown commercially.
Dragon Fruit rainfall requirements are 600 to 1300mm per annum with supplementary irrigation in the dry seasons.
Dragon Fruit require less irrigation than Macadamias and Avocados. It is interesting to note that with the severe drought in Southern California, farmers are replacing Avocados with Dragon Fruit. It is estimated that Dragon Fruit require only 65% of the water and rain that Avos do.
Good temperatures for Dragon Fruit are 21-29°C, but they can withstand maximum temperatures of 38-41°C and as low as -1°C for short periods.
The Proposal – Opportunity to Growers
PHASE I: 1000ha
PHASE II: 1000ha (Subject to Existing Shareholdersagreeing by a simple majority)
- Cost of the 1st 1ha of a particular Trademark selection = R50 000,00 (R10 000 of which, is transferred to the Marketing Company). This includes all planting material, exclusive access to all cultivars and new flesh colours, all planting, cultivation and trellising IP on an ongoing basis.
- Cost of the 2nd and all subsequent 1ha developments, (or any part thereof) of a particular Trademark selection = R30 000,00 (R10 000 of which, is payable to the Marketing Company within 18 months). This, for material propagated by the Grower, with written permission from Amorentia, from propagation material selected from the first 1ha as described in (A) above.
Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit Marketing Company (MC)
4000 authorised shares
2000 to be issued for Phase I
2000 to be issued if Phase II goes ahead
For every 1ha purchased 2 shares are issued in the MC
- 1 Share to the grower
- 1 Share to Amorentia Estate
Once 3ha are sold
- Growers appoint 3 Directors
- Amorentia Estate appoint 3 Directors
At all times growers group and Amorentia Estate remain 50/50 Shareholders in the MC
Of the R50 000,0000 or R30 000,00 paid by the grower as a licensing or royalty fee, R10 000,00 will be deposited into the Marketing Company (MC) account.
- Promotions – Advertorials
- Brand Development
- Fruit Branding
- Field Officer/s
- Research and Development (RND)
All Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit will be marketed and sold under the Amorentia Sweet Dragon Fruit brand.
All fruit sold will be levied @ 5% of net selling price.
All levies are paid to the Marketing Company (MC).
Distributable dividends from the MC are paid out to the Shareholders.
Such payments authorized by the Directors of the MC.
Click on the following links to view each presentation: