PANCHAGARH, July 3, 2021 (BSS)- Commercial cultivation of Dragon, a kind of delicious and nutritious fruit, is gaining much popularity among the farmers in the district in recent times.

Due to its high market value on the local and foreign markets, farmers in Panchagarh are being driven towards Dragon fruit cultivation, which, unlike some crops, is commercially viable.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), dragon fruit orchards have been developed in different areas of the region. There are three types of dragon fruit crops – red, white, and yellow – that are being cultivated in the region.

Rashed Prodhan, a young entrepreneur of Noyadigi village in Boda upazila of Panchagarh district, has cultivated dragon on three bighas of land three years back. He got bumper production from around four thousand dragon trees in his orchard and financially benefited with the sale of the nutritious fruit.

The fruit is being sold at Taka 350 to 400 per kilogram according to size and quality at present.

After being inspired from Rashed, Abdus Sadder, a farmer of Kaliaganj village in Boda upazila, has developed a dragon orchard on two bigas of land. He got good results from his orchard and earned Taka two lakh by selling a dragon.

Boda Upazila Agriculture Officer Al-Mamun or Rashid told BSS that farmers of the district who were once reluctant for dragon cultivation now are tending and showing huge interests to cultivate it.

Many farmers change their fortune by cultivating dragons. “We are currently harvesting and selling dragon fruit online amid the Covid-19 pandemic,” said a dragon farmer of the district, adding that they are delivering their harvested fruits to different areas of the capital city through courier services after meeting local demands.