One of the new varieties of dragon fruit being grown at the Bioeconomy Science Institute orchard in Kerikeri. Photo / RNZ, Sally Round
By Sally Round of RNZ
Move over satsumas and kiwifruit, a smaller and sweeter version of the exotic-looking dragon fruit could be the next big thing in school lunchboxes.
While it may be smaller than the fruit grown in tropical climes, researchers in Northland have been surprised at how well dragon fruit has grown under cover on a trial orchard in Kerikeri.
With its pink-red scaly skin, bulbous shape and delicate flavour, imported dragon fruit is mainly on shelves reserved for the more niche fruit in New Zealand supermarkets, but researchers say three new cultivars hold much potential.
In 2013, New Zealand started working with Vietnam, the world’s biggest dragon fruit grower alongside China, to develop more flavoursome, canker-resistant varieties with a better shelf life.
That research led to the local trial, the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s Satish Kumar told RNZ’s Country Life.
“About 10 years later, we thought that, hey, why can’t we try and test whether we can grow them here in New Zealand as well.
“Because [the] climate is changing, and especially in Northland.
“Who knows, maybe in another 10, 15 years, we might be looking at a completely different situation, so we are, in a way, being proactive and trying to introduce and maybe try new crops.”
Kumar took Country Life on a tour of the orchard where rows and rows of prickly fronds - the dragon fruit is a member of the cactus family - tumbled over a system of posts and wires, developed alongside the new cultivars.
Part of the orchard was under a plastic tunnel system, protecting the crop from the winter cold and the region’s increasingly intense rain.
He said in a tropical climate, dragon fruit come into full production in about three years, with five harvests a year, whereas in New Zealand, they took a year longer, with just two harvests a year.
Under cover, they hoped to increase the yield and squeeze in one more harvest.
“My gut feeling is that the yield is going to be significantly higher in the tunnel system compared to the open orchard system.
“We know that the visual quality of the fruit is a lot better compared to outdoor, so that means the rejection rate will be lower.”
The plants were also less prickly, which workers were pleased about, he said.
While cost-benefit analyses were yet to be done, Kumar said the varieties had local potential, especially as New Zealand’s Asian population grew.
“Most of those people, they know what it tastes like, what it looks like, they are more than likely to try anything new that we offer them, and they do appreciate the taste of these new varieties.”
Dragon fruit was just one of several unusual crops the region’s economic development agency, Northland Inc, had looked at for the region.
It had provided analyses of emerging and high-value crops like papaya, pineapple, turmeric and ginger and a 2025 report it commissioned suggested there were real opportunities for growers and farmers if they used protection such as tunnel houses and shade covers.
Luke Beehre, programme lead for the Tuputupu Grow Northland initiative, said change was coming, and strategic decision-making rather than knee-jerk reactions was vital.
“Protected cropping opens the door for Northland growers to do things we simply couldn’t do before.
“Growers who contributed to the research talked about improved crop quality, the ability to reach markets earlier, and better working conditions for staff - all of which strengthen the case for further investment.”
Data was still being collected for the dragon fruit trial, but work was in its early stages to bring the new varieties to market.
The trial’s commercial partner VentureFruit, said a brand name and marketing collateral had been developed but were still under wraps.
MG Marketing was the head licensee and would handle interest from growers.
“The concept globally is to form a network of licensees who grow, sell and market fruit of the varieties under the brand,” a statement from VentureFruit said.
Kumar was happy the home-grown fruit had passed his own taste test.
“When I started the programme in 2013, honest, I didn’t like the taste at all, but now I love eating them, especially the new varieties.”
They were sweet, with a kiwifruit-like texture, good shelf life and appealing to the eye without the “inconvenience” factor of juice dribbling down the chin, he said.
“The new varieties that we have developed, we want them like a premium cultivar, to change the profile of how people view dragon fruit.
“They all are producing here quite happily.”
- RNZ