Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R. — Pitahya producers in Costa Maya are readying for harvest. Some local growers have already begun the annual cutting of the fruit from the cactus.
Armando Poot Chan, the President of the Pitahaya Producers Cooperative (Yúumtsilo’ob) of the Tihosuco community, says harvest has begun for some. Already, more than 28 hectares of cactus has been cut.
Poot Chan said that this particular harvest will be sent to Cancun and sold for between 18 and 22 peso per kilo. He explained that there are 27 producers from Tihosuco, Santa Rosa, Trapich, Chumpon, and Tepich among others in the south of Quintana Roo who grow the exotic fruit.
He says a majority of fruit will be sold locally, however, they will also self-transport their harvests to other areas of Riviera Maya, Tulum and even Valladolid where profits are higher.