Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stressed the importance of diversifying agriculture by focusing on easily cultivable fruits and crops to drive growth in the farming sector. During his visit to Bengaluru under the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyaan,’ the Minister highlighted the advantages of cultivating dragonfruit.
Mr. Chouhan pointed out that dragonfruit cultivation is naturally organic, as it does not require chemical fertilizers—manure alone suffices. Being a member of the cactus family, dragonfruit is resilient and less susceptible to diseases, which helps in reducing production costs. He further stated that farmers can expect to earn an annual profit of ₹6-7 lakh after the first year of planting dragonfruit.
This diversification approach, according to the Minister, can significantly enhance farmers’ incomes and contribute to the sustainable development of agriculture.