Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan –

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that diversification of agriculture toward easily cultivable fruits and crops is essential for the sector’s growth. Speaking during his visit to Bengaluru as part of the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyaan’ Mr. Chouhan highlighted the benefits of cultivating dragonfruit. He noted that dragonfruit farming does not require chemical fertilisers, as manure is sufficient, making it an organic crop. The Minister further explained that dragonfruit, a member of the cactus family, is less prone to diseases, which lowers the cost of production and farmers can earn a profit of 6-7 lakh rupees annually after the first year of cultivation.