Juicy passion fruit ripening in Zhanjiang

A bumper harvest of gold passion fruit is in sight. [Photo by Li Jiabin/Zhanjiang Daily]

Passion fruit is ripening in Xuwen country, Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, and the tasty fruit grown in an over 200-mu (13-hectare) planting base owned by Zhengmao Vegetable Planation Co Ltd will be sold all across the country.

Passion fruit are rich in vitamins C and are a popular fruit all over the world. Compared to the common purple passion fruit, the golden passion fruit is larger and sweeter with a stronger aroma. It tastes like guava.

The Xuwen company tried out growing passion fruit introduced from Taiwan two years ago and began large-scale plantation in October of last year. The whole process is strictly controlled to ensure the fruit will meet the standards of green food, according to Li Jinquan, head of the planting base. 

At present, the supply of gold passion fruit is not adequate to meet demand, which fuels the price to a level about two times that of purple passion fruit, Li said.

Li added that yields (output per mu) can reach 5,000 kilograms. If the purchasing price is 8 yuan ($1.17) per kilogram, the output value per mu is expected to hit 40,000 yuan. Taking into account the cost, there will be a profit of tens of thousands of yuan per mu.

In addition, the company enjoys excellent sales channels and employs a mature circulation distribution team. It has signed long-term supply agreements with more than 20 operators and more than 10 supermarkets.

Furthermore, local low-income households have been involved in the plantation process. They not only are taught advanced planting techniques but also gain extra income.