Uttar Pradesh farmers have turned towards dragon fruit cultivation

In Uttar Pradesh, progressive farmers in Prayagraj have turned towards dragon fruit cultivation, earning profits. Traditional farming has been hit hard by uncertainties in weather such as droughts, floods, heatwaves, and cold waves. However, with the aim of increasing farmers' income, the Uttar Pradesh government is promoting alternative crops, and dragon fruit cultivation is emerging as a ray of hope for many progressive farmers.

Among those embracing this new venture are small-scale farmers in the Sarangpur and Tengai villages of the Trans-Yamuna region in Prayagraj district. One such progressive farmer is Chotelal Gautam, who is cultivating dragon fruit on a two-acre plot of land in the Sarangpur village. Chotelal, a 66-year-old retired government engineer, turned to farming due to issues with irregular monsoons and problems with crop irrigation. He said, 'I could hardly tolerate crop losses, so in 2020, I decided to cultivate dragon fruit on one acre of land, and it yielded good results. Then I expanded it to another acre.'

Following his lead, farmers like Ravindra Pandey and Sunil Patel from the Tengai village have also ventured into dragon fruit cultivation, significantly increasing their income. Ravindra Pandey, a 55-year-old farmer who used to grow rice, said, 'The initial investment in dragon fruit farming is about ₹10 lakh per acre, which is much higher compared to traditional farming, as it requires support structures and is labor-intensive. However, what's unique about this fruit is that its production is not significantly affected by droughts, floods, or other weather-related discrepancies. It's almost like a cactus plant that requires minimal care and monitoring.