Dharan. Kripashwor Ghale Gurung, who served in the Indian Army for 28 years, has been commercially involved in dragon fruit farming at Ranipokhari of Ramdhuni municipality-7.

He has been earning Rs 55 to 6 million annually from the ‘Tarju Dragon Fruit Agriculture Farm’ established in 2074 BS. Ghale has been cultivating one bigha of land.

According to Gurung, farming was started 22 years ago from a sapling of the red Ping variety imported from Malaysia. Although there was no clear information about the market price and health use of the fruit in the beginning, he said that with the increase in demand and price, farming has been expanded and now it has become the main source of income.

Entrepreneur Gurung said, “I have planted around 250 plants of dragon fruit in the farm. While other fruits produce only once a year, dragons can produce up to nine times a year. That’s why the income is stable. ’

Along with the production, there is also income from the sale of saplings. According to Gurung, saplings worth more than four lakh rupees are sold annually. The saplings which used to cost Rs 200 to Rs 400 per plant were now sold at Rs 50-70 depending on the demand, he said. Dragon fruit is sold at the retail price of Rs 400 per kg and Rs 350 in wholesale.

The farm employs two permanent employees at a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 and more than a dozen workers at Rs 700 per day. The number of workers is even higher during the harvesting and fertilizing season.

“We spend around eight lakh rupees annually to operate the farm, fertilizer, tools and labour,” Gurung said. Last year, the production was 22 metric tons, which has increased to 27 metric tons this year. I sell the fruits produced in Dharan, Itahari, Inaruwa, Biratnagar and mostly to Kathmandu, Pokhara and Hetauda. ’

Due to good income, other youths are also getting attracted towards this farming in recent times. According to Ghale, who is involved in agriculture business after retirement, there is a possibility of generating employment at the local level along with good income through agriculture business in the country.

At present, more than 10 households in Ramdhuni Municipality-7 of Sunsari have been cultivating dragons. Youths who have returned from abroad are also engaged in dragon farming.