LA PITAHAYA UNA ALTERNATIVA DE EXPORTACIÓN Y SU APORTE A LA BALANZA COMERCIAL Y DESARROLLO SOCIO ECONÓMICO DE LA AGRICULTURA NO TRADICIONAL EN EL ECUADOR. PERÍODO 2000-2005

Abstract

The pitahaya cultivation is relatively new in the Ecuador, with less than ten years of experience, he/she has been carried out with varieties that were introduced from Colombia to the sector noroccidente of the county of Pichincha. This fruit is rich in fiber, calcium, match and vitamin C. is a very special fruit as for medicinal qualities with a wide spectrum of applications, from the relief of common stomach problems, such as gastritis, until being a fruit recommended for people with diabetes and problems endocrinógenos. The pitahaya contains captina, a tonic one for the heart. The surface of export of Pitahaya points out that for the year 2000 88 hectares were cultivated at national level, registering the counties of Pichincha, Guayas, Sucumbíos and Napo the biggest indexes in surface of this cactácea cultivated by provincial distribution and in the year 2001 went from 173 hectares to 397 hectares in the year 2005. The production for consumption interns this dedicated to prepare jello, ice cream, yogurt, syrup, sweet, marmalade, encourages or soda. Which had a variation range between 26 and 44 rhyme in the period 2000- 2005 in this presentation type, registering a participation of 22,56%. The exports of this fruit this conditioned to the demand and offer of the market, being able to determine a commercial increment with 4.294 and 4.526 rhyme, in the years 2004 and 2005 evidencing the great demand that it exists on the part of the international market and even achieving to more than the petroleum an increment of foreign currencies to the national treasury. In this sector, the commercialization modality is, according to the country and its requirements in green state, in cardboard boxes, with content 3,50 kg, in units of 10 to 12 fruits that it is the only modality that allows the adjusted packing to the technical norms of the importers. Ecuador has begun its pitahaya exports to Europe. In the agricultural environment the pitahaya exports have ended up occupying an important seat, to offer another alternative more as half of production and to increase the appreciation in lands that have not been taken into account as agricultural floors and at the present time they are zoned by this species