Dragon fruit farming prospect bright in Rajshahi region

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RAJSHAHI, Oct 22, 2019 (BSS)- Farming prospect of dragon fruit, a delicious
but non-conventional fruit in Bangladesh, is very bright as many of the
farmers have become successful after farming this fruit in the region
including its vast Barind tract.

Rafiqul Islam along with three of his friends first started to cultivate
the fruit on experimental basis in Kendobona area under Nachole Upazila.
After getting some profit, they became more interested in cultivating the
profitable fruit on a large scale.

Rafiqul mentioned that the cultivation of the fruit is profitable and they
are expecting good profit this year. He said the cultivation process is not
only easy but also the required investment is very low.

Looks like cactus, each dragon tree lasts for 20-30 years and gives 20-25
fruits each season. Though the fruit is new in the country, there is a demand
of the fruit among people, said Rafiqul.

He said they sell the fruit to local customers for Tk 300-400 per kilogram.
Rafiqul’s friend and business partner Nur-e-Alam Siddiqi Babu said the demand
of the fruit is increasing as it looks beautiful and the taste is also good.

Abdul Matin, another farmer of Gofanagar village under Mohadevpur upazila,
has set an instance of becoming successful through dragon farming in the
area.

After getting technical support from local horticulture centre, Abdul Matin
started the farming on August 10, 2016. Already, he has started getting fruit
for the last two years.

Now, there are 50 dragon plants in his orchard. Apart from, he has 65 malta
and five orange trees, five lemon, seven papaya, two litchi and three coconut
trees as intercropping.

On the vacant lands, he has been cultivating turmeric and arum to get
additional profit.

Agriculturist Deb Dulal Dhali, Additional Director of the Department of
Agriculture Extension, said the prospect of dragon is very much bright in the
region including its vast Barind tract as it has started gaining popularity
both at farmer and consumer level for its high commercial and nutritional
values.

More than 125 demonstration plots of the cash crop were established in
Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna and Bogra districts.

Dr Saifur Rahman, Deputy Director of Regional Horticulture Research Centre,
said their centre has become success in cultivating dragon fruit. Soil and
weather of the region is favourable for the fruit. Besides, the taste is very
same as dragon fruits grown in other countries.

Narrating its salient features he said dragon fruit is suitable for
everyone to eat. Flesh and seeds are edible parts and they are eaten
altogether. It supplies fiber which is digestive and helpful for healthy
liver. The rest portion of the fruit includes carbohydrates and water.

It is mildly sweet tasting and especially low in calories. The seeds are
digested only if chewed. The flavonoids in dragon fruit lower the risk of
heart disease and high blood pressure.

It also reduces oxidative stress and artery stiffness as found in animal
studies and therefore is thought to prevent complications associated with
diabetes. The high antioxidant levels lower the risk of many types of cancer.