Dragon fruit farming in South Africa has faced numerous challenges, leading to many abandoned projects. However, through perseverance and fine-tuning, Freddie Steyn has achieved success.
Dragon fruit's unique appearance has attracted many consumers, but the taste can be disappointing if the wrong variety is planted or not managed optimally.
Local producers face the challenge of selecting the right variety and managing it correctly, as the production conditions in South Africa differ greatly from those in Asia and the Americas, where dragon fruit originated.
Currently, Vietnam is the world's largest producer of dragon fruit, but production information in English is scarce.
Having bitten into bland fruit, the appeal of dragon fruit's unique appearance quickly fades.
Author's summary: Growing dragon fruit requires careful variety selection and management.