Three engineers and an ex-banker earning lakhs from dragon fruit farming

Dragon fruit has emerged as a promising exotic crop, giving high returns with low water requirements. Thanks to the rising demand for this exotic fruit, its premium pricing, export potential and the ability to thrive even on unproductive land, growers from Kerala to Punjab are turning dragon fruit into a profitable business. 

Cultivation is also fueled by the plant’s ability to yield fruit within one to two years of planting. In India, several farmer-entrepreneurs are already scaling up with multi-acre plantations, direct retail linkages, and value-addition strategies. 

Dragon fruit commands a premium price ranging between Rs100 and Rs250 per kg, depending on the quality and location. 

As a cactus vine, dragon fruit thrives in even rocky and marginal soils with minimal irrigation, making it ideal for drought-prone and degraded lands.

The yield increases every year and the plants are productive for over 20 years. Most farmers can have multiple revenue streams like selling exotic fruits, saplings, training other farmers, making value-added products and exporting to expand business potential.

Here are five farmers who have scripted success stories with dragon fruit farming:

1. Joseph KS (Kerala)

A retired banker in his late 60s, Joseph turned his rocky land in Ranni, Kerala, into a 10-acre dragon fruit farm with over 20,000 plants. He chose dragon fruit because his land was unsuitable for rubber and required a hardy crop; dragon fruit thrives even in rocky, less fertile terrain. 

The farm uses only organic manure and neem cake. It produces around 40 tonnes of fruit annually at Rs 125 to Rs 130 per kg, giving Rs 50 lakh turnover. Joseph markets locally, visits fruit stalls, supermarkets and has built awareness of dragon fruit by educating buyers.

Now he even exports to Gulf countries. Joseph also provides training and setup services for new growers, turning his orchard into a model site for replication. 

His story: Ex-banker turns rocky land into dragon fruit paradise; clocks Rs50 lakh annual turnover

2. Mahesh Asabe (Maharashtra)

A young engineer-turned-farmer in Solapur district, Mahesh, planted dragon fruit over 20 acres and earns about Rs 9-10 lakh profit per acre in the drought‐prone region. He planted multiple varieties (Jumbo Red, White flesh, Yellow flesh) and leverages both domestic markets and exports for higher margins. 

The agripreneur's initial investment per acre was Rs 5 to 6 lakh including poles, drip irrigation and saplings. The yield, he says, increased from around 5 tonnes per acre in year one to around 10 tonnes per acre in the second year.

His market linkages include local wholesale, supermarkets in Maharashtra, and neighbouring states. He notes that even if farm-gate prices drop to Rs 50 per kg, income remains robust. His business also includes training and nursery sales. 

His story: Maharashtra’s engineer-farmer earns profit of Rs 9 lakh per acre from dragon fruit

3. Anshul Mishra (Uttar Pradesh)

A computer engineer, Anshul converted barren land in Shahjahanpur district into a 1-acre dragon fruit plantation, earning Rs 22 lakh from just that acre. He planted 1,600 saplings of Vietnamese Red variety, used cattle-manure and innovative vertical and terrace planting to maximise space and yield. 

His initial investment was Rs3 lakh per acre on poles, saplings and labour, while the annual maintenance cost is Rs 50,000. 

Beyond fruit sales, he runs a profitable nursery business selling saplings to farmers across 12 states, adding significant revenue. The model demonstrates that even small-scale farms in non-traditional regions can make strong returns with dragon fruit.

Here’s Anshul’s story: Engineer converts barren land into dragon fruit farm, earns Rs22 lakh from just 1 acre

4. Raman Salaria (Punjab)

A civil engineer turned organic farmer in Pathankot, Raman converted 1.5 acres (later 4 acres) to organic dragon fruit, earning Rs 5 lakh revenue and Rs 4 lakh profit per acre. 

He planted 2,000 saplings per acre, spaced at 7 ft by 10 ft, used concrete pillars (costing around Rs 1,000 each) and focused on chemical-free inputs like cow-dung and vermiwash.

He sells direct to customers in Chandigarh, Noida, Delhi NCR via orders and couriering, and unsold fruit to wholesalers at Rs 120 to Rs 140 per kg. His focus on organic and direct-to-consumer marketing adds premium pricing and brand value in northern India.

Raman’s story in detail: Punjab’s engineer-farmer earns profit of Rs4 lakh per acre with organic farming of dragon fruit

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