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Fri, 27 Mar 2026

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 The spiky cactus fruit giving Indian farmers a cash boost

Indian farmers are turning to dragon fruit as a profitable alternative to mangoes and coffee.

* Arun Srinivas abandoned his finance career to cultivate dragon fruit on his family farm in Karnataka, producing 220 tonnes a year.
* Dragon fruit is an unusual crop that requires minimal water and has lower disease risk compared to other fruits.
* The Indian government plans to increase production of dragon fruit, which promises higher returns and relatively stable prices compared to traditional crops.
* Dr. G Karunakaran, principal scientist at the Centre of Excellence for Dragon Fruit in Bengaluru, notes that cultivation really took off after 2021 thanks to media coverage.
* Farmers can harvest dragon fruit continuously for six months, providing a steady income.
* However, one challenge is pollinating the flowers, which only bloom at night and into the early hours of the morning. Some farmers use honey bees or self-pollinating varieties to overcome this issue.
* Experts are working to find more promising varieties of dragon fruit that can perform well in Indian climate and customer tastes.
* The Indian market has developed a preference for large-sized red-flesh fruits, which command a better market price.
* To move from being a newcomer to a global powerhouse like Vietnam, Indian farmers need to modernize growing and storage techniques, including building higher density trellis systems and investing in integrated networks of solar-powered pre-cooling units.