LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural economy is gradually moving beyond the traditional wheat, paddy and sugarcane cycle as farmers and policymakers search for crops capable of delivering higher returns from smaller areas. Among the emerging alternatives, dragon fruit—or Kamalam—is gaining particular attention. Once considered an exotic fruit largely associated with southern and western India, dragon fruit is now being commercially cultivated in several districts of Uttar Pradesh, with Mirzapur emerging as a major production centre.
The expansion is being driven by a combination of factors: relatively low water requirements, tolerance to heat and other stresses, growing consumer demand, long productive life and the possibility of significantly higher returns than some conventional crops. Recent reporting and agricultural research suggest that, if supported by appropriate planting material, scientific cultivation, irrigation, post-harvest infrastructure and market linkages, dragon fruit could become an important component of Uttar Pradesh’s farm-income diversification strategy.
Uttar Pradesh emerges as a new dragon-fruit hub
The scale of the state’s transition is already becoming visible. According to The Times of India, dragon fruit was commercially cultivated on an estimated 260 hectares in Uttar Pradesh during 2024-25, with an average yield of around nine tonnes per hectare. Mirzapur accounted for more than 100 hectares, making it the state’s leading production cluster. The crop was also being grown commercially in Sonbhadra, Jaunpur, Kushinagar, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Ambedkar Nagar, Hardoi, Ghazipur and Barabanki.
The state government has reportedly planned to bring another 200 hectares under dragon fruit cultivation and has considered establishing a dedicated centre of excellence in Mirzapur to provide quality planting material, training and processing support. Such institutional support could be crucial because dragon fruit requires specialised trellising and crop-management practices.
Earlier, Hindustan Times reported that more than 300 farmers in the Mirzapur-Varanasi region were cultivating dragon fruit on about 125 acres, while 60-70 farmers in Sonbhadra had planted the crop on another 45 acres.
Higher-value crop with a long productive life
One of dragon fruit’s biggest attractions is that it is a perennial crop. Once established, a well-managed plantation can remain productive for many years. Uttar Pradesh farmers interviewed by Hindustan Times have reported that plants can continue producing for roughly 20-25 years, while the state horticulture department has highlighted its relatively low pesticide and maintenance requirements.
The economics can be particularly attractive once the initial investment in concrete support poles, planting material and irrigation infrastructure has been recovered.
In Prayagraj, for example, farmers told Hindustan Times that dragon fruit cultivation had substantially increased their incomes, with one farmer reporting potential profits of around ₹10 lakh per acre from the third year onward, subject to market prices and production.
Barabanki provides another example. Hindustan Times reported that progressive farmer Gaya Prasad had established around 2,000 plants on an acre and was selling the fruit at approximately ₹300-400 per kg, with reported annual earnings of up to ₹15 lakh. He also developed a nursery, creating an additional income stream from planting material, grafts and stems.
“These figures should not be interpreted as guaranteed returns for every farmer. Income depends heavily on variety, plant density, age of plantation, yield, labour costs, quality and—most importantly—farm-gate prices,” said Yogesh R Singh, of the CPIE India, which provides consultancy, training and support for dragon fruit cultivation in Goa and Uttar Pradesh.
Water efficiency is a major advantage
For several parts of Uttar Pradesh, particularly the Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions, water availability is an important consideration. Dragon fruit’s relatively low water requirement makes it attractive as a diversification crop or even an intercrop.
Farmers in Barabanki have reported that drip irrigation can substantially reduce water use. The cactus-like plant is also relatively tolerant of heat and dry spells. Farmers in Prayagraj similarly reported that their plantations remained productive during periods when other crops suffered from extreme temperatures and irregular rainfall.
Research reinforces this potential. A 2025 review in Discover Agriculture notes that dragon fruit can adapt to diverse climatic conditions but stresses that productivity in India remains below its potential in many locations. It recommends improved irrigation, canopy management, pollination and stress-management practices to improve yields and quality. Disease management is also an important aspect as certain types of dragon fruit are more prone to disease and infection.
This is important: dragon fruit is not a completely low-input crop from the beginning. Establishing the support structure can be expensive, and scientific management is necessary if farmers are to achieve consistently high yields.
Government support can reduce the entry barrier
The initial cost is one of the biggest obstacles to adoption. Dragon fruit plants require permanent support structures, generally concrete poles and circular supports, alongside irrigation infrastructure.
The Union government’s 2025 MIDH guidelines recognise dragon fruit with support systems as an eligible horticultural activity. The cost norm is ₹6.75 lakh per hectare, with assistance of 40% in general areas for holdings up to two hectares, subject to scheme conditions including an 80% survival rate in the second year, according to to the National Horticulture Board.
This support can significantly lower the capital burden on small and marginal farmers, although farmers still need access to credit and must be able to manage the establishment period before the plantation reaches full production.
From fruit cultivation to a rural value chain
The real opportunity for Uttar Pradesh may extend beyond simply selling fresh fruit.
Dragon fruit has a short ambient shelf life—ICAR researchers put it at around 5-7 days under Indian conditions. This creates a strong case for village-level grading, packaging, pre-cooling, cold storage and processing. ICAR’s research also highlights opportunities for value-added products made from dragon-fruit pulp and peel, including ways of utilising processing waste. (Indian Agricultural Research Journals)
That could allow Farmer Producer Organisations, self-help groups and rural entrepreneurs to earn from multiple stages of the value chain: nurseries, cultivation, collection, grading, packaging, transport, processing and direct marketing.
The potential for value addition is particularly relevant because Uttar Pradesh already has a large agricultural-processing ecosystem and access to major consumer markets such as Lucknow, Delhi-NCR and other metropolitan centres in Central and North India.
Research from Uttar Pradesh offers further promise
Importantly, dragon fruit is not merely a crop being imported into Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural landscape. Universities in the state are actively researching its economics and agronomy.
A study conducted at Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, examined the effect of vermicompost and biofertilisers on dragon fruit growth, yield and economic feasibility under Kanpur conditions. The research, conducted during 2022 and 2023, specifically investigated combinations of vermicompost and beneficial microbial inputs.
Similarly, research at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, has examined organic manures and biofertilisers for dragon fruit under western Uttar Pradesh conditions.
Such location-specific research is vital because cultivation practices developed for Gujarat, Maharashtra or southern India cannot automatically be transferred to every part of Uttar Pradesh.
The bigger opportunity for farmers
The expansion of dragon fruit fits into Uttar Pradesh’s broader push towards high-value horticulture. At a 2025 horticulture conference in Varanasi, the state government urged farmers to move towards cash crops that can generate higher returns from smaller areas, while officials highlighted the importance of subsidies, processing and global market access. Scientists from BHU, IIVR and other institutions also discussed horticultural technologies suited to different agro-climatic zones.
For Uttar Pradesh’s farmers, therefore, dragon fruit should not be viewed simply as an exotic replacement for wheat or paddy. Its greater value lies in diversifying farm income.
With quality planting material, drip irrigation, scientific training, affordable finance, crop insurance, FPO-led marketing, cold-chain facilities and processing units, dragon fruit could create a complete rural value chain. It could also generate employment in nurseries, farm management, harvesting, packaging and transportation.
The experience of farmers in Barabanki, Prayagraj and Mirzapur suggests that the opportunity is real, while research from Kanpur, Meerut and national agricultural institutions indicates that there is considerable scope to improve productivity further.
For Uttar Pradesh, the dragon-fruit story could ultimately be about much more than a new fruit. It could represent a shift towards high-value, water-efficient and climate-resilient horticulture—helping farmers earn more from every acre while creating new rural businesses around production, processing and marketing.