Shahin Bepari Lambe
Panaji: Goa agriculture department has managed to successfully cultivate dragon fruit in the state’s unique climatic and soil conditions, proving the crop’s viability for commercial farming.
Success of the project provides hope for transforming Goa’s wasteland into productive agricultural zones, offering new opportunities to farmers.
“The experiment, which began in September 2022, has demonstrated that the exotic fruit can thrive on laterite wasteland, previously considered unsuitable for crops,” said Rajesh Da Costa, Zonal Agriculture Officer, Margao.
“We planted 140 plants – 70 of the pink variety and as many of the red variety – on land where traditional crops had failed,” he said.
The team drilled holes in the rocky surface, raised the soil around the holes, and supported the plants with poles under a drip irrigation system. Within six to eight months, the plants started bearing fruit.
Despite challenges such as intense sunlight, the plants adapted well to the conditions, with the red variety showing good success, said Da Costa. He said some plants experienced yellowing but the problem was mitigated by introducing shade nets.
“We wanted to see if this cactus-like plant could survive Goa’s heavy rainfall, and after two years, it’s now clear that it can,” Da Costa said. He said that dragon fruit is well-suited for shallow soil areas such as in Ponda where traditional crops struggle.
“One key takeaway is that dragon fruit can grow in wasteland areas with minimal soil depth and requires much less maintenance than other crops,” he said. The plant is also resistant to livestock grazing, making it a viable option for farmers.
Da Costa said the dragon fruit has commercial potential. Stating that it requires an initial investment in support structures but offers long-term profitability, he said, “With proper care and fertilisation, this could be a profitable crop.”
“This experiment has proven that dragon fruit can be grown on Goa’s wastelands and it can withstand the region’s heavy rainfall,” Da Costa said.
