It was a move beyond comprehension when the Yogi government promoted a rather unusual agri product in Uttar Pradesh. Dragon Fruit cultivation had not been attempted before, and the idea appealed to some of enterprising farmers who changed their fortunes in several districts like Barabanki and Sonbhadra in the Central and Eastern parts, while Meerut and Bulandshahr are in Western Uttar Pradesh. In Barabanki district, several progressive farmers have become examples of successful dragon fruit cultivation and have shifted from traditional crops after receiving government assistance. Many now earn several times more than from wheat and paddy cultivation. Farmers in Sonbhadra have adopted the crop because stray animals rarely damage the thorny plants and irrigation requirements are low. Despite primarily being sugarcane growers, many farmers in Meerut and Bulandshahr have replaced part of their sugarcane acreage with dragon fruit, supplying fruit to Delhi-NCR and other metropolitan markets.The Yogi Adityanath government has promoted dragon fruit (Kamalam) cultivation in Uttar Pradesh as part of its strategy to diversify agriculture, encourage horticulture, conserve water, and enhance farmers’ incomes. Since 2017, the Horticulture Department has encouraged farmers to shift a portion of their land from conventional crops such as wheat, paddy, and sugarcane to high-value fruit crops through subsidies, technical guidance, and market support. The Horticulture Department has highlighted successful growers during district-level exhibitions and farmer fairs.
Financial assistance under MIDH
The state government has implemented dragon fruit promotion through the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). Farmers receive financial assistance for establishing orchards, purchasing planting material, RCC poles, trellis systems, drip irrigation, and other infrastructure. Depending on the component and district, subsidies generally cover up to 50% of the approved cost, substantially reducing the high initial investment required for commercial cultivation.
Promotion of micro-irrigation
Since dragon fruit is a cactus species requiring comparatively less water, the crop has been integrated with drip irrigation under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. Farmers are also encouraged to install solar-powered irrigation pumps under PM-KUSUM, making cultivation economical even in water-scarce regions.
Quality planting material
The Horticulture Department has facilitated the supply of certified planting material from recognised nurseries. Demonstration plots have been established to showcase scientific cultivation methods.
Training and capacity building
District horticulture officers regularly organise training programmes covering:·Land preparation and trellis construction·Plant spacing and pruning·Nutrient and irrigation management·Disease and pest management·Harvesting, grading and marketingCentres of Excellence at Barabanki, Lucknow and Jhansi have also supported training in modern horticultural practices.
Many districts benefited
Dragon fruit cultivation has expanded across several districts, particularly where farmers are looking for alternatives to traditional crops. The beneficiary districts included Jhansi,Lalitpur,Jalaun, Hamirpur,Banda, Chitrakoot and Mahoba in Bundelkhand region where the crop is well suited due to its drought tolerance and low water requirement. In central Uttar Pradesh, the beneficiary districts included Barabanki, Lucknow,Unnao, Hardoi and Sitapur. Barabanki has emerged as one of the leading districts where several farmers have successfully adopted commercial cultivation while in Western Uttar Pradesh, farmers of Meerut,Bulandshahr,Baghpat,Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur have taken up cultivation of this exotic fruit. In fact, the farmers in these districts have diversified from sugarcane and vegetables to dragon fruit for better profitability. Eatsern Uttar Pradesh also did not lag behind as the farmers in Sonbhadra,Mirzapur,Prayagraj,Varanasi and Gorakhpur also took up this and the crop has shown promise due to its resilience to climatic variability.
Categories of Beneficiaries
The government’s initiative has particularly benefited:·Small and marginal farmers, who have diversified into high-value horticulture.·Sugarcane farmers, reducing dependence on a single crop and improving income stability.·Young agri-entrepreneurs, who have developed commercial orchards and direct marketing channels.·Women farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) engaged in horticulture-based enterprises.·Farmers in drought-prone areas, where the crop performs well with limited irrigation.
Economic advantages
Dragon fruit offers several advantages:·Commercial production begins within 18–24 months.·Plants remain productive for 20–25 years.·Water requirement is significantly lower than many conventional crops.·Higher market prices compared with cereals.·Strong demand from urban markets such as Lucknow, Delhi, Kanpur and Noida.·Suitable for intercropping during the initial years.The promotion of dragon fruit reflects Uttar Pradesh’s broader shift towards high-value horticulture and climate-resilient agriculture. By combining financial support, modern irrigation, scientific training and market linkage, the Yogi Adityanath government has enabled farmers across Bundelkhand, Western UP and Central UP to diversify their cropping pattern, improve profitability and make better use of limited water resources. Although the cultivated area is still modest compared with traditional fruit crops such as mango and guava, dragon fruit has emerged as a promising niche crop with significant potential for future expansion in the state.It must go down in the history of Uttar Pradesh as a successful application of innovation that benefited thousands of farmers in the process. This was in the line of the resolve of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath who immediately after taking over the reins of state, announced that doubling farmers’ income would always remain a top priority for his government.
