NATORE, Nov 18: Dragon fruit farming is expanding fast across the district for lucrative profit.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said cultivation of the fruit started Bagatipara, Lalpur, Shingra, Gurudaspur, Boraigram and Sadar upazilas of the district a few years ago on an experimental basis.
Now it is gaining popularity among the growers, sources added.
Each kg of dragon fruit is being sold at Tk 350 to Tk 400 in the market.
A good number of farmers have already attained financial solvency by growing the fruit on a large scale, DAE officials added.
Some 10 kg to 12 kg fresh fruits can be harvested from a mature healthy plant.
Dragon plants need extra care. Some 500 saplings can be planted in a bigha of land.
Sub-assistance agriculture officer of DAE Azizur Rahman said dragon fruit can be grown abundantly in the district.
The department provides all necessary support in this connection, he added.
"I have cultivated dragon on 45 decimals of land spending Tk 34,000," said farmer Anarul Islam of Bagatipara upazila.
"I started harvesting the fruit from October and earn over Tk 70,000 net profit." he added.
Deputy Director of DAE Rafiqul Islam said dragon fruit farming is profitable. It can be harvested within 20 to 25 months after the plantation.
It is possible to make net profit of Tk 0.4 million to Tk 0.5 million from a hectares of land, he further said.
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