Dragon fruit, also known as pitahaya or pitaya, is gaining popularity in India for its unique appearance and mildly sweet taste. Tapping into the growing interest in the exotic fruit, 28-year-old Prasad Ramchaware from Akola, Maharashtra, has built an agricultural venture centred on its cultivation. As per Startup Pedia, his dragon fruit farming brings in an average annual income of Rs 15 lakh.
Why Did Prasad Turn To Farming?
Prasad first tasted dragon fruit in 2017 and was intrigued by its taste and texture. After doing his research on its cultivation on YouTube, he learned that the fruit was grown in parts of West Bengal and western Maharashtra. Believing Vidarbha's hot and dry climate was unsuitable, he initially dropped the idea.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Prasad and his father began exploring farming opportunities. He drew on the agricultural knowledge he had gained from his father and planted his first dragon fruit crop in July 2021. He sourced around 6,300 plants from Solapur and Gujarat at Rs 62 each, investing approximately Rs 3 lakh in the plantation.
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First Harvest and Earnings
Prasad's dragon fruit plants began bearing fruit around 11 months after planting, earlier than the nursery suppliers had predicted. During his first harvest season in 2022, which lasted about six months, he collected nearly two tonnes of fruit and earned approximately Rs 1.5 lakh. However, he gave away a large portion of the harvest to friends, family members and fellow farmers who visited his farm.
Prasad also completed his B.Pharm in 2022 and went on to pursue M.Pharm from Shri Gurudatta Shikshan Prasarak Sansthan in Akola. After graduating, he chose to pursue agriculture despite receiving job offers from pharmaceutical companies.
Organic Farm And Crop Portfolio
Today, Prasad manages approximately 17 acres of farmland spread across four locations, where he grows a mix of fruit crops, timber trees, seasonal vegetables and traditional crops.
His dragon fruit plantation spans two acres and houses around 6,400 plants. It features varieties such as Jumbo Red, Sea, Israeli Yellow, Australian Yellow, Highlys Red and Ecuadorian Palora.
His farms also have approximately 1,600 sandalwood trees, 1,600–1,700 custard apple trees and over 800 mango trees. He also cultivates guava, soybean, arhar and chana and a diverse mix of fruit-bearing trees and crops across his land.