: Vizag Farmer Hits The Jackpot With Dragonfruit, Even Makes Wines Buns From it #IndiaNEWS #Andhra Pradesh The southeastern part of India along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border is infamous for growing

Vizag Farmer Hits The Jackpot With Dragonfruit, Even Makes Wines Buns From it #IndiaNEWS #Andhra Pradesh
The southeastern part of India along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border is infamous for growing ganja (cannabis). A tribal-dominated belt of Vizag and Visakhapatnam Agency is believed to supply 80% of the country’s ganja, which sees frequent seizures and raids by officials.
The geographic conditions, like soil and cool climate, are said to be responsible for making the belt ideal for growing the contraband. But 42-year-old Jestin Joseph in the region is chasing a different kind of high, by growing exotic fruits like strawberry, dragon fruit, passionfruit and blackberries. Interestingly, he also makes cakes, buns, rotis, pudding and even wine out of dragonfruit.
The corporate trainer turns farmer.
Jestins overwhelming Dragon fruit harvest.
Jestin is an adventure sports teacher, corporate leadership trainer and works on tribal development for social causes, but decided to add another feather to his cap when he tried his hands at farming in 2017.
“I planned to grow pepper and coffee, but after some research, I realised the venture was time-consuming and required a lot of attention. Around the same time, I learned about dragon fruit, which requires less maintenance,??? he says.
Starting on a two-acre land, Justin expanded his cultivation to nine acres. The farmer says this rapid expansion is thanks to the commercial success he gained from growing the exotic plant. “I reap about four tonnes of harvest per acre, and the fruit sells at Rs 100 per kg in the wholesale market. I earned Rs 4 Lakh per acre this season,??? he says.
Jestin says that apart from good returns, the crop requires no maintenance, and has fewer infection rates.
Thorns in the way of Dragonfruit
However, Jestin had to weather storms before he could experience smooth sailing. “Not many farmers grow exotic fruits in the area. There was a lack of expertise to seek help if needed. Dragon Fruit is mainly a cactus creeper found in North America. The excess water during rain spoilt the crop initially,??? he says.
Dragon fruit cake and putty (traditional cake) made by Vinitha.
He adds that four years ago, with no technical knowledge, he lost 4,000 plants worth Rs 2 Lakh in the first year. “The plant requires water once in five days during growth and once in three days during the harvest. It practically rained every day that year. The crop got infected with fungus, and I had no solution. The fungus was attacked by termites, which killed the plants in four days,??? says Jestin.
The farmer said that through experiments, he realised that a one rupee blade was the solution to the problem. “All I had to do was cut off the infected part and expose the wound to the sun for it to dry.

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