PRODUCER & TERROIR
An Ideal Climate for Deliciously Sweet Passion Fruit!
Eduardo Astacio, 42years comes from the family where all are teachers and professors. His uncle is a University professor, his wife is a school teacher. They live in a small village of 8 houses where all houses belong to family members. Eduardo is the only one who is a farmer (his brother recently starts assisting him). All the rest are in education system. In his house his wife has a big library of books in hard cover.
Hato Mayor del Rey has a tropical monsoon climate, a little wetter in its driest month than a tropical savanna climate would be. The weather is hot and humid all year round, with a drier and less unpleasant season from December to March and a wetter, even hotter season between April and November.
Average annual rainfall mm is 1562mm.
Our passion fruit grows alongside bananas and papayas. Mixed cultures treat parasites in a natural way.
Passion fruit producer for more than 20 years.
GROWING TECHNIQUES
He is proud of his profession as he does high-quality products and people appreciate it. He is growing passion fruit for more than 20 years. His plantation varies from year to year from 200 to 350 tareas (12.5-22ha). He grows mainly passion fruit, papaya and platano banana.
Eduardo states that advantages of having other crops, namely Papaya and Platano banana alongside passion fruit gives the following advantages
1) The profit from the usage of limited piece of land is higher. Easier management.
2) The crops help each other to provide better yield as the soil is richer.
3) It helps to control soil erosion
4) Better pest control.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ACTION
Eco-friendly actions are important to him as he values the benefits the land gives to him and he tries to treat the land likewise. He is highly respected in the community as he shares his expertise and knowledge with other growers. He spreads the eco-friendly culture to other growers by explaining its importance and benefits.
He’s got very much entrepreneurial mindset. As an example, he has created his own nursery house which not only benefits to him but also to the local farmers. This is his contribution to the development of the local farming community.
