07:30 p.m
Sunday 11 September 2022
Books – Ahmed Massad:
The announcement of the price of the “dragon” fruit sparked controversy on social media, after a live broadcast of a farmer, who said that the selling price of the “dragon” fruit amounted to nearly 700 pounds per kilo.
Dr. Ahmed Helmy, Director of the Horticultural Research Institute, said that dragon fruit is a tropical crop that is grown in East Asian countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia, and is not grown in Egypt, explaining that it needs a tropical climate that is not available in Egyptian lands.
Helmy added, in exclusive statements to “Masrawy”, that this type of fruit is brought from its original homeland, pointing out that there are a very limited number of farmers in Egypt who grow very limited amounts of water without agricultural guidance.
He continued, “The ministry is interested in cultivating the main crops of vegetables and fruits, such as citrus fruits and other vegetables,” stressing that the fruit is not new and every year we hear about such experiences with the aim of making a profit.
He pointed out that the fruit has many health benefits like any other fruit, adding: “The reason for its high price is because it comes from abroad and is cultivated by a very limited number, and it is often imported from abroad, because the proportion of those who approach it is small.”
It is worth noting that the price of a kilo of it, according to traders, reaches 700 pounds, and it is cultivated with an area not exceeding 3 carats across homes and the outskirts of the main crops.