Izithelo zikadrako, ezibizwa nangokuthi i-pitaya, ziyisithelo se-cactus ekhuphukayo, eqhakaza ebusuku. Ikhule ezifundeni zomhlaba ezishisayo nezingaphansi komhlaba, ukutshala kwalesi sithelo kuyanda eNingizimu Afrika, esungula ngokushesha imboni ekhulayo yokuthumela ngaphandle kulesi sithelo esinempilo.
Emhlabeni Jikele Ukukhiqiza Izithelo ZeDragon
Ubuningi bezithelo zedrako bukhiqizwa emazweni aseNyakatho hemisphere. Lokhu kusho ukuthi izithelo zedrako ezivela eNingizimu Afrika ziyatholakala uma ukutholakala ezimakethe zaseYurophu naseMelika kuphansi.
Izithelo ze-Dragon zikhiqizwa kwezentengiselwano eVietnam, eMalawi, eThailand, eTaiwan, eSri Lanka, eChina nase-Israyeli, kodwa futhi zikhule eCentral America (Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala). I-Vietnam ithela ikakhulukazi (95%) isithelo sedrako esine-pink-fleshed ngenkathi i-Ecuador neColombia zigxila ezinhlotsheni ezimnandi ezinombala ophuzi obomvana.
I-Vietnam, elandelwa yiThailand ne-Israyeli, ingumhlinzeki omkhulu wezithelo zedrako, ikhiqiza amathani angaphezu kuka-600 000 ngonyaka.
Inqwaba yakho konke ukukhiqizwa kwezithelo zikadrako idliwa e-Asia, ngabakwaShayina abangabathengi bezithelo zikadrako omkhulu, ngenxa yokukholelwa kwabo emnothweni omuhle owalethwa ngegama likadrako, ijamo kanye nemibala. Iningi lezithelo zikadrako lisetshenziselwa imikhiqizo engezwe inani.
Izindawo zaseNingizimu Afrika Zokukhiqiza Izithelo
Isimo sezulu esifudumele saseNingizimu Afrika silungele izithelo zedrako, ezikhetha amazinga okushisa angama-21°C - 29°C, kepha kudingeka ukunisela okwanele noma imvula ephakathi kuka-650 mm no-1 200 mm. Izithelo zedrako zizwela ukukhanya kwelanga okukhulu kanye nesithwathwa. Izithelo zedrako zikhula kahle ezimweni lapho kukhula khona ukwatapheya, ubhanana kanye namantongomane e-macadamia futhi kuzohambisana nezinhlelo zokukhiqiza zalo mkhiqizo. Amaphakethe kanye nezinsizakusebenza ezifanayo zingasetshenziswa futhi ukuvuna akuqedi.
Izithelo zedrako zitshalwa esifundeni saseNatali Midlands nasezifundeni ezisogwini zaKwaZulu Natali, indawo eseLowerveld isuka eNelspruit iye eTzaneen, eMpumalanga Kapa kanye naseWestern Cape. Izithombo ezinkulu kakhulu zezithelo zedrako eNingizimu Afrika ziseduze naseDendron naseLouis Trichardt eSifundazweni saseLimpopo.
Ngokusho kukaMax van Heerden wase Dragon Fruit South Africa (DFSA), ukukhiqizwa kwezithelo zikadrako eNingizimu Afrika kusencane ngamathani ayi-100 akhiqizwa ngonyaka (ka-2019). Iningi lalokhu kuthunyelwa nge-airfreight, ngama-crates ambalwa kuphela atholakala ukusetshenziswa kwasendaweni. Kodwa-ke, ukukhiqizwa kwezithelo zikadrako eNingizimu Afrika kulindeleke ukuthi kukhule kakhulu phakathi konyaka ka-2019 no-2021 njengoba sekuza kukhiqizwa amasimu amasha.
INingizimu Afrika ithumela izithelo zodrako, ikakhulukazi ziye eYurophu, kepha futhi izonikezela ngeMpumalanga Ekude kanye ne-USA uma ukukhiqizwa kukhuphuka.
Izithelo Zezithelo Zodrako
Izithelo zedrako zivunwa eNingizimu Afrika kusuka ngoNovemba kuya kuMashi. Uma izitshalo zedrako zisezincane, zizokhiqiza kuphela ukusuka kuJanuwari kuya kuMashi, kepha uma isidala lesi sitshalo, isikhathi eside kakhulu sokwenza izithelo.
Izithelo zikadrako ezivela ezifundazweni zaseWestern Cape naseNyakatho neMpumalanga zingakhiqiza ngoMeyi nangoJuni, kodwa isikhathi sonyaka wezithelo zaseNingizimu Afrika sigcina ngo-Ephreli.
Translated by Nsika Khoza