Lhakpa Quendren

Samtse—What was once a desolate wetland is now a vibrant dragon fruit farm.  Spanning 70 decimals, Kaushik Dragon Fruit Farm in Singyegang village, Tashichhoeling, Samtse features a picturesque scene of green canopies speckled with the vibrant pink hues of Hylocereus—the cactus that yields the sought-after dragon fruit.

About 3,000 dragon fruit plants—both white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus) and red-fleshed (Hylocereus costaricensis or Hylocereus polyrhizus)—trained on 734 trellises, are laden with fruit.

Khara Nanda Sharma, a 69-year-old retired agriculturist, is the mastermind behind this farm. He started the farm in March 2022 with an investment of Nu 1.83 million, although he was uncertain about its success.

After six months of cultivation, he has tasted sweet success with his vitamin-packed dragon fruits during the first harvest.

“I have already harvested fruits worth Nu 150,000 this year, with another Nu 200,000 expected from the remaining crop. The first season yielded 91 kg,” he says.

The red variety sells for Nu 400 per kg while the white variety goes for Nu 250 per kg. Dragon fruit serves as the primary source of income for his family.

Given that a lack of market remains a challenge, KN Sharma sometimes visits offices in Samtse to sell the fruits. “The Food Corporation of Bhutan also visited the farm to explore supplying fruits to Gyalsung Academy,” he said.

Whatever profit he has made so far is being reinvested into the farm. When fully matured, the plants on each trellis post are capable of producing about 35 kg of fruit per season.

He has nurtured about 2,000 saplings to expand his farm by 50 decimals and plans to lease an additional five acres of barren land across from his current farm. The saplings are also sold at Nu 30 for the white variety and Nu 50 for the red variety, which are below market rates.

He gained the confidence to pursue commercial farming after a successful trial of a few dragon fruit plants grown around his home. “My friends in India and Nepal encouraged me to start a dragon fruit farm by showing me their farms in video calls,” says KN Sharma. “I started the farm with 213 white-fleshed plants from Lingmethang in Mongar and later added red-fleshed plants imported from Rajasthan, India.”

Despite his 39 years of experience, he faced steep learning curves in dragon fruit cultivation, especially during the first four months due to his lack of past experience in dragon fruit cultivation.

“I come to the farm around 9am and sometimes stay until 9pm for pollination, which occurs from 7pm to 9pm. The pollen from the anther must be transferred to the stigma to help the fruits grow larger,” KN Sharma explains.

Only organic manure, such as cow and chicken manure, is used, as the poor soil fertility and stony ground of the land, left barren for four years due to water scarcity, pose challenges to the farm.

But KN Sharma has found a solution. He grows over 70 lemon and 20 avocado trees as inter-crops and is also working on cultivating legume intercrops to improve soil quality. Fungus, which is difficult to control, also poses challenges for the farm.

“I hire workers to help maintain the farm,” he said.

The farm is fortified with barbed wire and concertina wire to keep elephants and other animals at bay.