National
ETV Bharat / state
By ETV Bharat English Team
Published : June 8, 2026 at 12:11 AM IST
Nalanda: Demonstrating self-belief and conviction, a youth from Chaurasi village of Nagarnausa block in Nalanda district of Bihar returned to his roots to successfully take up dragon fruit cultivation. A graduate in computer applications, Sujit Patel gave up his well-paying job in the software industry to follow his passion. He gave up an annual package of Rs 5 lakh in Bangalore to earn his livelihood by toiling in the fields.
It was during a visit to his sister in Hyderabad from Bangalore that he witnessed large-scale dragon fruit cultivation. Understanding the economics, he decided to take up the vocation of horticulture and grow the fruit. He was driven by the thought,”If this could be done in South India, why not in Bihar?”
After experimenting successfully with pots in Bangalore, Sujit returned to his village in 2022 and started cultivating dragon fruit on half an acre of land. Initially, he imported 400 plants of the Moroccan Red variety from Kolkata, but the fruit turned out to be small. Later, he achieved success by importing 1,600 plants of the C variety from Hyderabad.
He disclosed, “The C variety is best suited to Bihar’s soil and climate. Its fruit size is larger and yields higher.” He implemented soil filling and drip irrigation to address the issue of waterlogging. The technique also helped him save water.
Sujit adopted the modern trellis method instead of the traditional ring method. The trellis method involves climbing plants and vining crops that are grown vertically using support structures like bamboo poles, wires or netting. It maximises space and boosts yields by improving the plant’s exposure to sunlight and air circulation, which helps prevent pest infestations and fungal problems.
“The trellis method allows for more plants to be planted in less space and increases production by one and a half times,” said Sujit, who used paddy straw for mulching, which reduced costs and maintained soil moisture.
He disclosed that he made a ‘one-time investment’ of around Rs 4.5 lakh rupees. “Initially, the expenditure was around Rs 4.5 lakh. In the first year, there was no fruit, but in the second year, 800 kg was produced, and now in the third year, the production has crossed 2 tonnes. In the market, this fruit is sold at Rs 200 to 240 per kg in wholesale and Rs 80 to 150 per piece in retail,” he said.
Sujit calls dragon fruit a ‘super fruit’ that is rich in nutrients while being beneficial for digestion and hair. He’s now practising integrated farming, which includes cultivation of dragon fruit, papaya, vegetables and fish farming.
Sujit now aims to connect with the other young farmers in Bihar and help them with profitable farming of dragon fruit. His success proves that an educated person does not always have to migrate to big cities but can realise his dreams in the native village as well.
For All Latest Updates
TAGGED:
Copyright © 2026 Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., All Rights Reserved.
Leave a Reply