China imports Ecuadorian pitaya for first time

Photo taken on June 12, 2022 shows yellow pitaya in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province.(Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

SHANGHAI, April 10 (Xinhua) -- China has imported pitaya from Ecuador for the first time, with 420 kilograms of yellow pitaya arriving in Shanghai on Monday.

The batch of pitaya was packed into 168 cartons, each weighing 2.5 kilograms, and it arrived in Shanghai after a three-day flight from Quito, the capital of Ecuador, according to customs authorities at the Pudong airport, which has opened a green channel for these rare fruits to ensure rapid customs clearance.

Yellow pitaya is similar to dragon fruit but sweeter. It has a high nutritional value and its cost is several times that of standard imported dragon fruit.

In July 2022, China's General Administration of Customs officially allowed the import of Ecuadorian pitaya that meets relevant requirements.