Jharkhand will soon start cultivation of dragon fruit in a bid to kill two birds with a stone — beat malnutrition among the rural populace and generate income for farmers. The Jharkhand Tribal Development Society (JTDS) has started distributing saplings of this precious pink fruit, loaded with vitamin C, magnesium and other healthy nutrients, among impoverished farmers of Ranchi and Khunti as a pilot project, officials from JTDS said on Wednesday.
“Around half a dozen farmers in Ranchi and Khunti have started cultivation of dragon fruit with technical assistance from the tribal development society. We have decided to make these farmers master trainers and encourage other villagers to take up cultivation of this fruit,” said Assistant Director at JTDS, Ashish Anand.
The dragon fruit’s outer skin is cactus-like, resembling the scales of a mythical dragon. Its vibrant green and reddish-pink hues give it a unique appearance, while the creamy white flesh spotted with black seeds is loaded with antioxidants.
Regular consumption of this fruit is believed to increase production of Red Blood Corpuscles (RBC) in the body, maintain blood sugar levels and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. It is also a great source of vitamin A, and helps in treating Anaemia. However, despite all the health benefits of the fruit, it has never been cultivated in Jharkhand before, and most of the dragon fruits available in the state are either produced in other states or abroad, JTDS officials said.
The JTDS Assistant Director said that around 12 per cent land across Jharkhand was suitable for cultivation of dragon fruit, which requires minimal watering and is sold at a high price across India because of its health benefits. “Our idea was to encourage cultivation of dragon fruit and help tribal women and children beat malnutrition. Women in rural Jharkhand suffer from various ailments due to poor nutrition. Adding this fruit to their diet can help them lead a healthy life,” Anand added.
Agriculturists claim that dragon fruit is also used for treatment of people suffering from Dengue and Malaria in some parts of the country. Residents of rural Jharkhand are prone to vector borne diseases, and the fruit can help in their treatment as well, officials from JTDS said.
Besides reaping the health benefits of the fruit, the JTDS is also eyeing financial gains for farmers through its cultivation. Anand said that the land on which dragon fruit would grow in Jharkhand is mostly left unused by farmers as paddy cannot grow on such rocky terrain. “Basically, we will use unutilized land for farming of this fruit, and try and achieve the target of doubling the income of farmers,” he said.
Once the cultivation gains pace across Ranchi and Khunti, the JTDS plans to rope in more farmers from other districts of Jharkhand for cultivation of dragon fruits, JTDS officials said. The state may even start supplying dragon fruits to other parts of India and abroad if the fruits are of superior quality, they added.
The price of dragon fruit varies from Rs.80 per piece to Rs.150 per piece in the market. Farmers may make handsome profits even if they start supplying this fruit to the local markets in Jharkhand.
The JTDS’ role is to implement tribal development projects of the Government of Jharkhand, Government of India and multilateral organisations.