Dragon Fruit's Journey from Curiosity to Commerce in Karnali
"Nobody knew what dragon fruit was," recalls one of the early farmers in Surkhet. "People would stop by our farm just to ask what we were growing."
It is difficult to imagine today, but only four years ago dragon fruit was virtually unknown in Karnali. Few people had seen it, fewer had tasted it, and almost no one believed it could be grown successfully in the region. Then one family decided to try.
When one household decided to plant dragon fruit in 2022, the reaction was less excitement than skepticism. The crop looked expensive. Every plant required a concrete pillar. Old tyres had to be arranged. Quality planting materials had to be brought from outside the province, making each sapling costly. The fruit itself was unfamiliar, there was no local market, and technical knowledge was almost non-existent.
Understandably, it looked like an unnecessary risk. Yet for one family, it was an opportunity worth trying.
Looking back today, that single decision has done more than introduce a new fruit. It has sparked a growing enterprise that is creating income, attracting visitors, inspiring innovation, and opening new possibilities for farming families across Karnali.
A little about the numbers that started changing minds
Like many new agricultural enterprises, dragon fruit was first judged by its initial investment.
A dragon fruit orchard requires supporting structures before the first fruit is ever harvested. Concrete pillars, irrigation, planting materials, and land preparation make the establishment phase expensive. Compared to conventional crops, the upfront cost appears intimidating.
However, farmers soon realized they had been looking at only half the story.
Enterprise records maintained by producers show that establishing a 0.135-hectare orchard (approximately four kattha of land) with 200 concrete pillars requires an initial investment of around NPR 494,000. For many households, that figure alone was enough to discourage investment.
But dragon fruit is not an annual crop.
Once established, annual expenses fall dramatically. Farmers mainly invest in manure, irrigation, pruning, and routine management while the orchard continues becoming more productive each year.
The first harvest usually begins around 18 months after planting. During the first fruiting year, each pillar produces approximately five kilograms of fruit. By the fourth year, production increases to around 15 kilograms per pillar, and with proper management, the same plants can continue producing for nearly 25 years.
This long productive life fundamentally changes the economics of the enterprise.
Although farmers typically incur losses during the establishment year, the orchard begins generating profits from the second year onward. Farmer enterprise records show that over the first four years, a dragon fruit orchard of this size generated a cumulative net profit of approximately NPR 1.49 million against a total investment of about NPR 988,000. More importantly, the orchard continues producing for decades after the initial investment has been recovered.
Dragon fruit also creates opportunities beyond the fruit itself. During the early years, before the canopy fully develops, farmers intercrop vegetables and legumes such as potatoes, tomatoes, and lentils, allowing them to earn additional income while making productive use of the land. One farmer cultivating dragon fruit on nine kattha (approximately 0.30 hectares) shared that he harvested two quintals (200 kilograms) of lentils from the same orchard in a single year. Rather than competing with other crops, dragon fruit can complement them, helping farming families diversify both production and income.
For many farmers, the question was no longer, "Can I afford to plant dragon fruit?" Instead, it became, “Can I afford not to?”
Additionally, dragon fruit’s growing popularity just doesn’t stop at profit.
It is about sustainability.
Research has shown that dragon fruit is a remarkably resilient crop. It tolerates many pests, diseases, and climatic stresses better than several conventional fruit crops and can thrive on marginal lands, areas that are often less productive or unsuitable for other high-value crops.
This creates an important opportunity for smallholder farmers.
Instead of replacing staple crops or vegetables grown for household consumption, dragon fruit can be cultivated on underutilized or less productive land, allowing families to diversify their income without compromising food production. For households with limited landholdings, this offers a viable pathway into commercial agriculture.
This is particularly relevant in Karnali, where fragmented landholdings, labor shortages, and low agricultural productivity often limit farming opportunities. Enterprise records demonstrate that even households with three to four kattha of land (0.135 hectors approx.) can establish commercially viable orchards.
Another advantage lies in a challenge familiar to farmers across Nepal.
Wild animals, particularly monkeys, destroy thousands of rupees worth of crops every year, forcing many farmers to abandon cultivation altogether. Dragon fruit presents a rare advantage. Its climbing cactus structure, protective thorns, and vertical growing system make it considerably less attractive and more difficult for monkeys to damage.
By 2026, a lot has progressed.
Started from 2022 by one household, cultivating dragon fruit has reached approximately to 85 households across the region in 2026, with 24 households already identifying it as their primary source of income.
Perhaps the most remarkable transformation can be seen in Gurvakot Municipality in Surkhet.
Out of just 22 households in one village, 18 households are now engaged in dragon fruit farming.
The impact extends well beyond agriculture.
As orchards attracted visitors eager to see the fruit, several households began operating homestays, creating additional income opportunities for their families. It started as an agricultural enterprise, and gradually stimulated rural tourism and local business development. There are 5 home stays in the village with a small hall right now. This reminds that successful enterprises rarely create only one kind of opportunity. They create many.
During the previous phase of the InElam project, Helvetas facilitated an exposure visit to Vietnam for the project team and producer groups to observe one of the world's most developed dragon fruit industries. Farmers studied production techniques, post-harvest handling, marketing systems, and value chain organization.
One practice particularly captured their attention.
Instead of using individual concrete pillars, some Vietnamese farmers cultivated dragon fruit using a trellis system, where climbing plants are supported by a network of posts and wires.
Back in Karnali, producers have begun experimenting with this approach.
If successful, the trellis system could substantially reduce one of the biggest barriers to adoption which is the high establishment cost associated with concrete pillars. Lower investment requirements would make dragon fruit cultivation accessible to many more smallholder farmers who currently hesitate because of the upfront expense.
This expansion of dragon fruit also brings new responsibilities.
Demand for dragon fruit is currently strong, particularly in Surkhet, where consumers increasingly recognize and seek out the fruit. Yet as more farmers begin harvesting, a new challenge is emerging.
Because most orchards produce fruit during the same season, harvesting takes place almost simultaneously across farms. This creates periods of oversupply in local markets. Without access to larger markets, improved storage, or value addition, a portion of the harvest risks going to waste despite growing consumer demand.
Expanding market opportunities beyond Surkhet will therefore be just as important as increasing production. Better market linkages, collection systems, branding, processing, and transportation can help farmers reach consumers in other districts and provinces while reducing seasonal gluts.
Technical support also remains essential. Because dragon fruit is still a relatively new crop in Karnali, local agricultural technicians are continuing to build their expertise in identifying pests and diseases specific to the crop. As cultivation expands, strengthening local technical services, improving access to quality planting materials, and supporting farmer-led experimentation (such as the ongoing trials of the lower-cost trellis production system) will be critical for the long-term sustainability of the enterprise.
These challenges are, however, signs of an emerging market.
The dragon fruit’s journey in Karnali shows that commercially viable farming is possible even on relatively small and marginal landholdings. It illustrates how a single enterprise can stimulate additional businesses, from nurseries to homestays, and encourage young people to see agriculture as a business rather than a last resort.
It also reflects the principles of a more circular rural economy. Land that was previously underutilized can become productive. Long-lived orchards require relatively modest annual inputs after establishment. Knowledge spreads from farmer to farmer, new enterprises emerge around the value chain, and more income remains circulating within local communities.
When Helvetas first began supporting farmers to explore dragon fruit cultivation, the goal was never simply to grow a new fruit. It represents the kind of enterprise that rural development increasingly seeks to promote, one that creates income on small and marginal landholdings, encourages local innovation, makes efficient use of available resources, and opens new opportunities for farming families without replacing the crops they already depend on.
A fruit that once sparked curiosity is now creating commerce.
And its journey is only just beginning.
