Young farmer Bhupendra Sharanagat from Sitakho village in the Katangi tehsil of Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, has become an inspiring example for fellow farmers by cultivating dragon fruit since 2021.
At 43 years old, Bhupendra, who has a background in agriculture, realized that his family's traditional crops—paddy, wheat, and gram—were not yielding profits that surpassed the costs of cultivation. With limited income in mind, he sought to innovate. Encouraged by his brother living in Norway, he decided to explore dragon fruit farming.
Bhupendra learned the cultivation techniques
To gather insights, Bhupendra visited the farm of Balchandra Thakur in Raipur, Gondia district, where he learned about the cultivation techniques for dragon fruit. He began his venture on 50 decimal of land, planting small bamboo poles at specific intervals in the field, similar to grape farming, with four saplings per pole.
Dragon fruit, originally from America, is a cactus species that can produce fruit for up to 25 years once planted. Bhupendra has invested around Rs 10 lakh in his dragon fruit farming and has already harvested 3 quintals of fruit from his 50 decimal field, selling it locally at Rs 200 per kilogram.
Looking ahead, Bhupendra plans to expand his dragon fruit farming to 2 acres, aiming to plant one thousand plants that he expects will yield around 7 tons of dragon fruit per acre. He is committed to using only organic fertilizers in his fields. Dragon fruit is not only fat-free and high in fiber but also rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C, making it a popular choice in the market for its health benefits.
Prakash Kumar Pandey
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