Years of hard work have paid off for one Philippine dragon fruit grower, who has just shipped their first-ever consignment to the Canadian province of British Columbia. 

Website Manilatimes.net reported 600 kilos of the fruit were exported by Refmad Farms on August 26 to Richmond City, through fruit and vegetable importer Pahoa Produce.

The exotic fruit, which also goes by the name pitahaya, is said to sell at US$7.99 a pound in the North American country.

"It’s been a long journey. Now, what we’ve been working hard for is a success," Refmad Farms farm operations manager Mildred Aguinaldo-Dacuycuy was quoted as saying.

She hopes this new development will be the start of 'something big' that will benefit dragon fruit growers across the country, given the rising demand of the fruit.

Since 2006, Aguinaldo-Dacuycuy and her mother have worked to develop their pioneering dragon fruit plantation in Burgos, with the support of government agencies working to develop agriculture.

According to the story, the farm operation started on a very small-scale with just a few cuttings of dragon fruit, but has since grown into a 30-hectare plantation.

Refmad Farms reportedly developed an 'all-natural and organic' dragon fruit freeze-dried extract powder that can be used for smoothies, teas and food.

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