July 08, 2025 | Fresh Fruit Portal |
Ecuador’s dragon fruit sector is facing a difficult year in 2025 due to heavy rains, oversupply, and collapsing prices. In the Manabí region, key production areas experienced flooding, damaging over 176,000 pounds of fruit and resulting in low-quality harvests. Ramón Martínez of Hacienda Laia Margarita described the situation as “devastating,” noting exports dropped to less than half of last year’s 112 shipments. Many farmers are unable to repay loans, though the government has granted extensions.
Prices have plummeted from $2.27 per pound to as low as $0.27, with some farmers giving fruit away for free. Martínez warned that these low prices are unsustainable and threaten fruit quality, urging a fair minimum price of $0.91–$1.14 per pound. Despite an increase in consumer familiarity with dragon fruit and year-round production giving Ecuador a competitive edge, market volatility persists due to global oversupply.
To cope, Hacienda Laia Margarita has adopted a vertically integrated model—managing its own brand, production, and packing—to ensure consistency. Martínez remains cautiously optimistic for recovery post-winter, but emphasizes that without stable pricing, producers cannot survive. “We are surviving, not profiting,” he said, waiting for market conditions to improve.
