Colombian passion fruit grown in Zhenkang

Passion fruit from Colombia has found its place in Zhenkang county of Lincang city in southwest Yunnan. The ripe fruits sell well this year. This once high-price foreign fruit is now successfully grown in Zhenkang, enriching the local fruit market and creating new income for growers.

Originating from Colombia, passion fruit is of sweet taste in its breed. It has strict requirements of climate and geographical conditions. Both sunshine and coolness are needed.

In Zhou Zhenghua’s passion fruit plantation, he is taking care of the newly cultivated passion fruit seedlings. "Recently, there have been people coming to pick the fruits every day,” said Zhou with a smile, “and many of them have never heard of it before and want to taste and see it.”

After Zhou’s success of growing the fruit, nearby tourists have come to taste it, and buyers from other places have called to place orders. "The market demand for passion fruit is relatively large. I have already sold more than 300 kilograms,” added Zhou, “but the yield is low in the first year and not enough to sell."

The passion fruit plantation can be harvested every five to eight years, with a yield of about 100 kilograms per mu in the first year, reaching around 1000 kilograms per mu in the second year. The yield will decrease slightly after five years. The current purchase price is 80 yuan per kilogram, with an expected total income of over 60,000 yuan this year.

Because of the promising market prospects, Zhou plans to cooperate with other farmers and provide them with seedlings, fertilizers, techniques, and all materials, while the farmers are responsible for management. Currently, there are 28 mu (about 1.87 ha) of suitable land identified and they planed to plant over 30 mu (2 ha).

Looking to the future, Zhou has new plans. He hopes to expand and strengthen the passion fruit industry, and increase income for more local people.

Source: Yunnan Daily; trans-editing by Wang Yunya