Peru: growing interest in exotic fruit ’sanky’

Peruvian growers are looking to export exotic fruit ’sanky’ to U.S., German and Japanese markets, pitching the product on its high antioxidant and vitamin C content.

The fruit is grown on cactuses and is also known by the names guacalla and sancayo, with an acidic taste that is often used in Peruvian juices and porridges, Fresh Fruit Portal reported.

Ayacucho-based sanky producer Evaristo Catamayo Conde told Agraria.pe the fruit is often used to rehydrate sheperds in the Peruvian countryside, while it also has properties for the treatment of gastritis, prostatitis, kidney problems and osteoporosis.

He says these properties make the sanky attractive for foreign markets, especially as its vitamin C levels are 10 times that of oranges, the story noted.

Catamayo Conde estimates the necessary investment to start sanky plantations are between PEN 3,000-5, 0000 (US$1,098-1,830) per hectare, with a processing buyer price of around PEN3 (US$1.19) per kilogram, depending on the vitamin concentration.

The industry needed larger commercial scale production at a national level, Sierra Exportadora Andean fruit specialist Federico Beltran, told Andina.News agency.

He highlighted the crop had yields of around 20-30 metric tons (MT) per hectare, growing at altitudes between 3,500-4,200 meters (11,482-13780 ft).

(END) INT/PGS

Publicado: 21/9/2011