Two brothers from Dhalai village in Gahira Union (Ward 4) of Rauzan upazila, Chattogram, are successfully cultivating dragon fruit on a commercial scale. What began as a hobby has now turned into a profitable agricultural venture.
It all started in 2021 when elder brother Monsur, a Qatar expatriate, planted dragon fruit on 18 shatak (approximately 0.18 acres) of land. Within a year, he sold over BDT 60,000 worth of fruit. After he returned abroad, his younger brother Ismail took over the care and maintenance of the orchard with the help of hired workers. Encouraged by the success, Ismail expanded the cultivation to a total of 60 shatak.
The orchard now has over 2,000 dragon fruit plants, growing on five-foot-high concrete posts. Flowers and fruits hang from the vines, drawing attention from curious visitors across the region who come to learn about the cultivation methods from Ismail.
Ismail has also utilised space between the dragon fruit plants to grow ginger in sacks and has established a small papaya plantation.
He shared that the total investment in both orchards is around BDT 5 lakh. Annual earnings range between BDT 5 to 7 lakh. This season alone, he has already sold BDT 3 lakh worth of dragon fruit and expects to sell another BDT 2 to 3 lakh before the season ends.
The demand for dragon fruit in local markets is high, with prices ranging from BDT 150 to 200 per kilogram.
According to agricultural experts, dragon fruit is rich in medicinal value and is believed to help combat illnesses like cancer and diabetes. It is not only attractive in appearance but also delicious in taste.
Rauzan Upazila Agriculture Officer Masum Kabir noted that dragon fruit is a climbing cactus species native to the jungles of South America. In Bangladesh, mainly two varieties are cultivated—Baudragon-1 (white) and Baudragon-2 (red). Currently, dragon fruit is being grown on 12 hectares of land in Rauzan. Interested farmers are receiving technical guidance to help expand cultivation.
