Dragon fruit is rapidly gaining popularity in the country, with its cultivation on the rise, as reported by the Integrated Agriculture and Livestock Census, 2023. Mass cultivation has begun in several districts. Similarly, in Sarpang, a woman from Samteling Gewog is among the newest farmers venturing into large-scale dragon fruit cultivation.
Kabita Gurung began commercial vegetable farming in 2021 on three acres of state land under lease.
However, due to a lack of market access and manpower shortages, she shifted away from vegetable farming this year. She turned to dragon fruit farming, which requires less labour, involves a one-time investment, and holds strong market potential.
“I was involved in large-scale chilli farming previously, but there was no market for it. With the Gelephu Mindfulness City Project starting, I saw an opportunity to invest in high-value agriculture. Dragon fruit is a one-time investment with a survival rate of 20 years. With proper care, it begins fruiting in just eight months, and it’s a high-quality breed,” said Kabita Gurung, a farmer of Samtenling Gewog.
Kabita says wildlife conflicts and a shortage of labour are two major challenges the fruit growers face.
“If we can mitigate these issues by addressing elephants encroaching into our fields and have access to sufficient workers, we can scale up our farming,” said Kabita Gurung, another farmer.
Kabita mentions that some of her plants have started bearing fruit, and she expects her first commercial harvest next year. She has already established connections with high-end hotels and resorts in Thimphu, Paro, and Punakha, which currently import dragon fruits from abroad. She planted the dragon fruits in March this year.
“Once the fruits begin to mature next year, we will try to sell them at a cheaper price than the ones in the market. We also plan to market it with proper packaging, including vacuum sealing, for export,” said Kabita Gurung, a farmer.
Kabita invested around Nu 700,000 to grow dragon fruit on an acre. She imported seedlings from Assam in India.
The country harvested about four tonnes of dragon fruits last year, with Samdrup Jongkhar and Monggar producing the most fruit.
Karma Wangdi, Sarpang
Edited by Phub Gyem
