Can you please brief us about your background?
Nowadays, there is a lot of health awareness talk and there is a lot of buzz on fruits and vegetables. The reason I chose Dragon Fruit in particular is because it is full of minerals – phosphorous, calcium, iron and zinc. The dragon fruit has a diverse range of health benefits:
Heart health – with an increase in cardiovascular disease, dragon fruits are known to decrease cholesterol levels. Their source of monounsaturated fats helps fuel the heart whilst antioxidants prevent the oxidation of cholesterol which would otherwise lead to plaque formation.
Digestion – with a rich source of fiber, dragon fruits assist with constipation and a sluggish digestive system.
Weight loss – many users report benefits in trying to lose weight. This is because dragon fruits are rich in fiber which not only help with satiety but this fiber also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels which prevent cravings and may prevent excess insulin production which encourages weight gain.
Arthritis – dragon fruit displays powerful anti-inflammatory properties which helps in alleviating of the pain associated with arthritis.
Cell protective – the rich array of antioxidants found in dragon fruit offer cell protective properties helping to protect the genetic material within cells.
Immune and energy booster – with a rich nutrient profile, dragon fruit helps nourish the immune system and many users report an increase in energy.
These are just a few health benefits of dragon fruit. Many people use the fruit pulp in homemade skincare creams and potions to tackle acne, congested skin and even soothe sunburns. Further to this, it is also rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex. Another specialty of this fruit is that it contains minimum calories. People who risk diabetes, high blood pressure or anybody for that matter, consuming this fruit boosts your immune system. Normally, in the earlier days, doctors used to recommend mineral and vitamin tablets. Nowadays they prescribe dragon fruit also. It was in 2012 that I brought a cut plant and planted. In those times, there wasn’t much awareness about this fruit. I had only seen it in Thailand. Also, I wasn’t very happy with the fruit’s taste. We are importing the fruit from Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. When people have this fruit the opinion is that it is neither bitter nor sweet. But, health benefits are immense and it is called super fruit. That is why we started cultivating this fruit. The initial establishment cost is high. It comes up to 3-5 lakhs. It belongs to the cacti family but it is not fully tolerant to drought as well. It has superficial roots, which means that the roots do not go deep into the soil, it won’t reach more than 1 ft. into the soil. So, if you give too much water, the plant will rot. It needs frequent mild doses of water. It needs only 1 – 2 litre a week, depending upon the climatic condition of your area. Normally during rainy season, June – October, we do not irrigate. There are different varieties of this fruit depending on the inner flesh colour – some people like the white colour and some the purple colour variety. The purple variety is slightly sweet and it is a little juicier. Actually the locally grown variety is very tasty compared to the ones imported. From the date of colour change, we have to allow the fruit to stay on the tree itself for 7-10 days. Normally this fruit is called non climatic. After harvesting there is no biochemical changes that will take place. Banana, for instance, changes in colour, and it ripens etc after harvesting. Such fruits are called climatic. Fruits like the dragon fruit are called non climatic. If you let the fruit be on the tree for a little longer, it will give you the right taste. So, harvesting it at the right moment is extremely important. When it comes to health, for instance, banana, papaya, sapota etc. are asked not to be consumed by diabetic patients. But dragon fruit can be consumed by anybody at any time. In India, corporates and big farmers began cultivating this fruit in Gujarat and Pune. It was from Pune that initially plant material started getting supplied. Around 500 acres are established in different parts of Karnataka, not just in one district. Another thing is – it is important to choose the right planting material – some cultivators will give small fruits and some will give big fruits. In the market, if you want to get a good price, your fruit should weigh above 400 grams. Below 400 grams is considered low grade fruits and, so, it goes to a local market. The first grade fruit goes to malls and big shops. Honestly, not many people are aware of these fruits. Many people have brought this fruit in the past, tasted it and not liked it because it is tasteless. But that is not true. If you come to our farm, you can taste it and give your opinion. Whoever comes to my farm, I give them a bowl of fruit so that they can taste and this way I promote dragon fruit cultivation. This is for farmers and consumers. This crop is highly responsive to the organic manure, so there is no need to use inorganic manure at all.
Can this be grown along with other crops?
I have recommended growing coconut trees to a few farmers. We are also cultivating it under shade net providing 25% shade, and that is on trial cultivation. The plant loves long time light. The flowering time is May. March to June you get longer days than nights. The plant requires around 12-14 hours of light. This is very important for flowering. It flowers from April with initiation of buds and flowering goes on till end of July or maximum beginning August, and then the flowering winds up. As this is responsive for longer light days – we may not be able to cultivate it in too much of shade. It is possible to cultivate this fruit only in 20% shade.
Does it matter if it is planted along with sapota or banana, etc.?
I wouldn’t suggest growing with banana, sapota etc. It is possible to be grown along with coconut because it will give about 30% filter shade. Another thing is – wherever you purchase your planting material from, check for the size of the fruit. This is a very important aspect. Some people collect their material from Pune, etc. and they would have established 5 acres, but eventually the fruit size will be hardly 200-250 gram. They will have huge issues when they try marketing the fruit. So checking for fruit size is very crucial. There are some non-self-pollinated varieties in the Indian market. The issue with this variety is you will know the size of the fruit only after the plant matures. Even I cannot judge the fruit size by seeing the plant material. In Karnataka, this fruit is grown in many districts.
What is the actual cost and what is the profit expected per acre?
Last year I planted on an additional 1 acre – I had an acre already previous to that. I planted it in the July-August time frame, and this year I harvested in June itself and I harvested around 10-15 fruits per pole. I planted around 450 poles with a spacing of 10×10 each row and 8×8 per plant. So, I got around 1.1 tonne of fruits. Since I am part of a government organization, we are not selling, but we sell for motivation. Having said that, the market rate today is Rs 36 per fruit. This is the rate in any given mall. They will take your fruit if it is above 400 gram at rate above or equal to Rs 36 as of now. With the current rate, you earn the money you have invested within a matter of two years. In the second year you will get around 2 and a half tonnes, third year you will get around 5-7 tonnes if you manage your farm properly. You won’t get fruits just by planting. Proper care and management is of utmost importance. If you do that you are certain to make profit.
How long does the plant last?
The plant lasts for 25 years. Some farmers speak of bacterial or fungal infection. This is not very common. But, when you buy your planting material make sure you do not buy diseased ones. Ensure you buy good planting material and manage your crop with care. Slightly prune your plants every year. We have 7-8 modules developed on how to care for your plants. These are kept here specifically for field visits. There are several methodologies you can adopt to grow this. We have even developed a terrace module for this. One family can grow 20 pots on their terrace. They will get 5 fruits in the first year, then they can make 10 in the next year etc.
Are there any experimental farms where we can see this?
The Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) is where you can see it. There are several trains plying that way. If you take the road from Bangalore, our office is on the left hand side on the highway. Now when it comes to marketing, this fruit is, of course, not like bananas or mangoes. This is an economic fruit. Farmers will benefit even if they sell it at Rs 25 per kilo. But, it should reach the nook and corner of the country. That is when we will be made feasible for dragon fruit cultivation. Otherwise, if people are not aware of the fruit and its benefits, we can only keep cultivating, but, we can’t make it big. If you can’t take the time to study the market, I would caution you not to go for it.
Farmers need to invest in the poles and other things?
Yes! The government will give subsidy for the planting material, drip irrigation, field preparations, etc. because dragon fruit is being promoted. There are huge subsidies that farmers can avail. My estimation is that there will be an overload of fruit if it goes this way. Now cultivation has begun in Karnataka as well. Now there is a difference if the plant is grown in the tropical region vs the rainy zones. The flowering season is in the June-July timeframe and the flower of the dragon fruit plant opens in the nights. Now, suppose if it is raining at night what will happen to the pollination. This is a flower – very soft flower, even the slightest touch can wither it off. There is no comparison till date of how the crop will fare in tropical zones as compared to arid zones. Will the rains affect the pollination and the flowering is a question yet to be answered. Near Puttur in Baltangadi I have seen the farmers getting good yield, and they are cultivating at the road side etc. Near TVM, Kerala, a person named George is cultivating and he says he hasn’t faced any such problem. In Kerala, during rainy seasons, the days are shorter. So, there can be a yield reduction from the month of June.
Traders say they get this fruit from Vietnam etc imported, and that is far cheaper.
Last year, there was a ban on importing dragon fruit for 10 days. What was the cause is yet to be seen. However, the ban was lifted in 10 days’ time. What I suggest to every grower and trader is that when the fruit is available in India just because it is a little cheaper you shouldn’t go for the foreign variety, especially when the quality is better when it is locally grown. Another thing is, last year this fruit had flooded the Delhi markets but nobody was buying it because it tasted bad. There are people who like it bitter and sour as well. But this was absolutely tasteless.
I have seen people selling it on the highway in the Northern parts of Kerala.
The thing is – because people are eating the imported variety, it is ruining the taste association people have with dragon fruit. I am not sure how this trend can be changed. On one side we have Indian farmers cultivating good quality fruits and on the other hand people are eating the tasteless foreign variety. This is a matter of concern. Even today, I showed the photo of dragon fruit to somebody I know, but she expressed her dislike for the fruit. But whenever someone comes over here and I get them to taste it, they like it. Another thing is that the right stage of harvest is extremely important for dragon fruit. We have to work collectively towards changing the mindset of people that it is a completely tasteless fruit. Also, it has high health values.
Which all core fruit colour varieties are available in India?
There are 7 varieties that I have seen so far. I am observing all 7 to bring up a categorization. This year I am also going in for a bio chemical characterization. I have started work on this already. I think the bio chemical characterization will be useful for traders, retailers and farmers when they sell the product. It is a wonder fruit for diabetes, high BP etc.
I think awareness has to increase through print media etc.
I think we can collaborate together with traders and we can hold a session on dragon fruit. There are lots of recipes that one can make with dragon fruit. I think that will cause a lot of awareness and it can go a long way to penetrate the Indian market. I have also seen vacuum freeze variety and it’s an absolutely amazing technology. If it is over produced, we can use that technology. In July, I got 50 tonnes, and I had to store it away. So, this way it is possible to pass it on to the next month. Another aspect is we are targeting at year-round availability of the fruit. We are entering the off season production by use of solar light and inducing the flower. Also, there is a PhD student’s study happening on when to harvest the fruit.
It should not be harvested immediately after the colour breaks. The sugar ratio conversion doesn’t happen by then. We will release this information also shortly to all traders and growers. The study covers a lot of aspects – how to harvest, how to pack, what is the Total Soluble Solids (TSS), the right stage to eat, etc.
Is the plastic packing used to improve shelf life?
You must be referring to a vacuum packing to ensure anti-ripening. There is another kind of packing which reduces respiration for fruits. I haven’t done much work in that aspect but we will give more information as the study progresses. My request is that we coordinate with all traders and help promote Indian farmers. That is the need of the hour.
Is there a source where we can find about the availability of the fruits?
There are so many people. I can give contacts. You can get in touch with me, and depending on the region that they are looking for, I can provide sources. I can even give contacts for off season fruits.
We will get in touch with you for further discussions in future.
Yes, please. We can have a discussion about Avocado next. That is another fruit which people go crazy about without having in-depth knowledge about its various aspects. My thought is that farmers should not end up in trouble just because they lacked information or had half-baked information. No matter what the crop, they must be cautious about the material they end up buying. And, this is a never ending process of learning, I am also constantly learning more and more about fruits.
Nowadays, there is a lot of health awareness talk and there is a lot of buzz on fruits and vegetables. The reason I chose Dragon Fruit in particular is because it is full of minerals – phosphorous, calcium, iron and zinc. The dragon fruit has a diverse range of health benefits:
Heart health – with an increase in cardiovascular disease, dragon fruits are known to decrease cholesterol levels. Their source of monounsaturated fats helps fuel the heart whilst antioxidants prevent the oxidation of cholesterol which would otherwise lead to plaque formation.
Digestion – with a rich source of fiber, dragon fruits assist with constipation and a sluggish digestive system.
Weight loss – many users report benefits in trying to lose weight. This is because dragon fruits are rich in fiber which not only help with satiety but this fiber also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels which prevent cravings and may prevent excess insulin production which encourages weight gain.
Arthritis – dragon fruit displays powerful anti-inflammatory properties which helps in alleviating of the pain associated with arthritis.
Cell protective – the rich array of antioxidants found in dragon fruit offer cell protective properties helping to protect the genetic material within cells.
Immune and energy booster – with a rich nutrient profile, dragon fruit helps nourish the immune system and many users report an increase in energy.
These are just a few health benefits of dragon fruit. Many people use the fruit pulp in homemade skincare creams and potions to tackle acne, congested skin and even soothe sunburns. Further to this, it is also rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin B Complex. Another specialty of this fruit is that it contains minimum calories. People who risk diabetes, high blood pressure or anybody for that matter, consuming this fruit boosts your immune system. Normally, in the earlier days, doctors used to recommend mineral and vitamin tablets. Nowadays they prescribe dragon fruit also. It was in 2012 that I brought a cut plant and planted. In those times, there wasn’t much awareness about this fruit. I had only seen it in Thailand. Also, I wasn’t very happy with the fruit’s taste. We are importing the fruit from Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. When people have this fruit the opinion is that it is neither bitter nor sweet. But, health benefits are immense and it is called super fruit. That is why we started cultivating this fruit. The initial establishment cost is high. It comes up to 3-5 lakhs. It belongs to the cacti family but it is not fully tolerant to drought as well. It has superficial roots, which means that the roots do not go deep into the soil, it won’t reach more than 1 ft. into the soil. So, if you give too much water, the plant will rot. It needs frequent mild doses of water. It needs only 1 – 2 litre a week, depending upon the climatic condition of your area. Normally during rainy season, June – October, we do not irrigate. There are different varieties of this fruit depending on the inner flesh colour – some people like the white colour and some the purple colour variety. The purple variety is slightly sweet and it is a little juicier. Actually the locally grown variety is very tasty compared to the ones imported. From the date of colour change, we have to allow the fruit to stay on the tree itself for 7-10 days. Normally this fruit is called non climatic. After harvesting there is no biochemical changes that will take place. Banana, for instance, changes in colour, and it ripens etc after harvesting. Such fruits are called climatic. Fruits like the dragon fruit are called non climatic. If you let the fruit be on the tree for a little longer, it will give you the right taste. So, harvesting it at the right moment is extremely important. When it comes to health, for instance, banana, papaya, sapota etc. are asked not to be consumed by diabetic patients. But dragon fruit can be consumed by anybody at any time. In India, corporates and big farmers began cultivating this fruit in Gujarat and Pune. It was from Pune that initially plant material started getting supplied. Around 500 acres are established in different parts of Karnataka, not just in one district. Another thing is – it is important to choose the right planting material – some cultivators will give small fruits and some will give big fruits. In the market, if you want to get a good price, your fruit should weigh above 400 grams. Below 400 grams is considered low grade fruits and, so, it goes to a local market. The first grade fruit goes to malls and big shops. Honestly, not many people are aware of these fruits. Many people have brought this fruit in the past, tasted it and not liked it because it is tasteless. But that is not true. If you come to our farm, you can taste it and give your opinion. Whoever comes to my farm, I give them a bowl of fruit so that they can taste and this way I promote dragon fruit cultivation. This is for farmers and consumers. This crop is highly responsive to the organic manure, so there is no need to use inorganic manure at all.
Can this be grown along with other crops?
I have recommended growing coconut trees to a few farmers. We are also cultivating it under shade net providing 25% shade, and that is on trial cultivation. The plant loves long time light. The flowering time is May. March to June you get longer days than nights. The plant requires around 12-14 hours of light. This is very important for flowering. It flowers from April with initiation of buds and flowering goes on till end of July or maximum beginning August, and then the flowering winds up. As this is responsive for longer light days – we may not be able to cultivate it in too much of shade. It is possible to cultivate this fruit only in 20% shade.
Does it matter if it is planted along with sapota or banana, etc.?
I wouldn’t suggest growing with banana, sapota etc. It is possible to be grown along with coconut because it will give about 30% filter shade. Another thing is – wherever you purchase your planting material from, check for the size of the fruit. This is a very important aspect. Some people collect their material from Pune, etc. and they would have established 5 acres, but eventually the fruit size will be hardly 200-250 gram. They will have huge issues when they try marketing the fruit. So checking for fruit size is very crucial. There are some non-self-pollinated varieties in the Indian market. The issue with this variety is you will know the size of the fruit only after the plant matures. Even I cannot judge the fruit size by seeing the plant material. In Karnataka, this fruit is grown in many districts.
What is the actual cost and what is the profit expected per acre?
Last year I planted on an additional 1 acre – I had an acre already previous to that. I planted it in the July-August time frame, and this year I harvested in June itself and I harvested around 10-15 fruits per pole. I planted around 450 poles with a spacing of 10×10 each row and 8×8 per plant. So, I got around 1.1 tonne of fruits. Since I am part of a government organization, we are not selling, but we sell for motivation. Having said that, the market rate today is Rs 36 per fruit. This is the rate in any given mall. They will take your fruit if it is above 400 gram at rate above or equal to Rs 36 as of now. With the current rate, you earn the money you have invested within a matter of two years. In the second year you will get around 2 and a half tonnes, third year you will get around 5-7 tonnes if you manage your farm properly. You won’t get fruits just by planting. Proper care and management is of utmost importance. If you do that you are certain to make profit.
How long does the plant last?
The plant lasts for 25 years. Some farmers speak of bacterial or fungal infection. This is not very common. But, when you buy your planting material make sure you do not buy diseased ones. Ensure you buy good planting material and manage your crop with care. Slightly prune your plants every year. We have 7-8 modules developed on how to care for your plants. These are kept here specifically for field visits. There are several methodologies you can adopt to grow this. We have even developed a terrace module for this. One family can grow 20 pots on their terrace. They will get 5 fruits in the first year, then they can make 10 in the next year etc.
Are there any experimental farms where we can see this?
The Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) is where you can see it. There are several trains plying that way. If you take the road from Bangalore, our office is on the left hand side on the highway. Now when it comes to marketing, this fruit is, of course, not like bananas or mangoes. This is an economic fruit. Farmers will benefit even if they sell it at Rs 25 per kilo. But, it should reach the nook and corner of the country. That is when we will be made feasible for dragon fruit cultivation. Otherwise, if people are not aware of the fruit and its benefits, we can only keep cultivating, but, we can’t make it big. If you can’t take the time to study the market, I would caution you not to go for it.
Farmers need to invest in the poles and other things?
Yes! The government will give subsidy for the planting material, drip irrigation, field preparations, etc. because dragon fruit is being promoted. There are huge subsidies that farmers can avail. My estimation is that there will be an overload of fruit if it goes this way. Now cultivation has begun in Karnataka as well. Now there is a difference if the plant is grown in the tropical region vs the rainy zones. The flowering season is in the June-July timeframe and the flower of the dragon fruit plant opens in the nights. Now, suppose if it is raining at night what will happen to the pollination. This is a flower – very soft flower, even the slightest touch can wither it off. There is no comparison till date of how the crop will fare in tropical zones as compared to arid zones. Will the rains affect the pollination and the flowering is a question yet to be answered. Near Puttur in Baltangadi I have seen the farmers getting good yield, and they are cultivating at the road side etc. Near TVM, Kerala, a person named George is cultivating and he says he hasn’t faced any such problem. In Kerala, during rainy seasons, the days are shorter. So, there can be a yield reduction from the month of June.
Traders say they get this fruit from Vietnam etc imported, and that is far cheaper.
Last year, there was a ban on importing dragon fruit for 10 days. What was the cause is yet to be seen. However, the ban was lifted in 10 days’ time. What I suggest to every grower and trader is that when the fruit is available in India just because it is a little cheaper you shouldn’t go for the foreign variety, especially when the quality is better when it is locally grown. Another thing is, last year this fruit had flooded the Delhi markets but nobody was buying it because it tasted bad. There are people who like it bitter and sour as well. But this was absolutely tasteless.
I have seen people selling it on the highway in the Northern parts of Kerala.
The thing is – because people are eating the imported variety, it is ruining the taste association people have with dragon fruit. I am not sure how this trend can be changed. On one side we have Indian farmers cultivating good quality fruits and on the other hand people are eating the tasteless foreign variety. This is a matter of concern. Even today, I showed the photo of dragon fruit to somebody I know, but she expressed her dislike for the fruit. But whenever someone comes over here and I get them to taste it, they like it. Another thing is that the right stage of harvest is extremely important for dragon fruit. We have to work collectively towards changing the mindset of people that it is a completely tasteless fruit. Also, it has high health values.
Which all core fruit colour varieties are available in India?
There are 7 varieties that I have seen so far. I am observing all 7 to bring up a categorization. This year I am also going in for a bio chemical characterization. I have started work on this already. I think the bio chemical characterization will be useful for traders, retailers and farmers when they sell the product. It is a wonder fruit for diabetes, high BP etc.
I think awareness has to increase through print media etc.
I think we can collaborate together with traders and we can hold a session on dragon fruit. There are lots of recipes that one can make with dragon fruit. I think that will cause a lot of awareness and it can go a long way to penetrate the Indian market. I have also seen vacuum freeze variety and it’s an absolutely amazing technology. If it is over produced, we can use that technology. In July, I got 50 tonnes, and I had to store it away. So, this way it is possible to pass it on to the next month. Another aspect is we are targeting at year-round availability of the fruit. We are entering the off season production by use of solar light and inducing the flower. Also, there is a PhD student’s study happening on when to harvest the fruit.
It should not be harvested immediately after the colour breaks. The sugar ratio conversion doesn’t happen by then. We will release this information also shortly to all traders and growers. The study covers a lot of aspects – how to harvest, how to pack, what is the Total Soluble Solids (TSS), the right stage to eat, etc.
Is the plastic packing used to improve shelf life?
You must be referring to a vacuum packing to ensure anti-ripening. There is another kind of packing which reduces respiration for fruits. I haven’t done much work in that aspect but we will give more information as the study progresses. My request is that we coordinate with all traders and help promote Indian farmers. That is the need of the hour.
Is there a source where we can find about the availability of the fruits?
There are so many people. I can give contacts. You can get in touch with me, and depending on the region that they are looking for, I can provide sources. I can even give contacts for off season fruits.
We will get in touch with you for further discussions in future.
Yes, please. We can have a discussion about Avocado next. That is another fruit which people go crazy about without having in-depth knowledge about its various aspects. My thought is that farmers should not end up in trouble just because they lacked information or had half-baked information. No matter what the crop, they must be cautious about the material they end up buying. And, this is a never ending process of learning, I am also constantly learning more and more about fruits.
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