“Field Day cum demonstration on "Dragon fruit cultivation-a potential commercial Venture in the Island”

ICAR-CIARI in collaboration with NABARD, Port Blair conducted field day cum demonstration at Temple Mayo,Collinpur, South Andaman on 25th April, 2022 which was attended by 20 farmers under the chairmanship of Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR CIARI. With financial assistance from NABARD, the dragon fruit field with support structures are established in the field of beneficiary Shri. Mahadev Majhi. Director, ICAR-CIARI briefed the farmers’ about the integrated farming system and advised them to move towards agro-tourism for more economic returns and sustainable livelihood. The status and prospects of dragon fruit cultivation in the Islands was explained by Dr. Augustine B.Jerard, HOD, ICAR-CIARI. Shri. Mohan, Assistant Manager from NABARD, Port Blair discussed on different schemes available at NABARD for the benefit of farmers and financial assistance for startup programmes. Various aspects of dragon fruit cultivation, harvest, post-harvest handling and marketing of dragon fruit were discussed and actual planting was undertaken at the selected site by the team of scientists Dr. K. Abirami, Dr. V. Baskaran, Dr. S. K. Zamir Ahmed and Dr. Pooja Kapoor from ICAR-CIARI. The demonstration model established at Temple Mayo may give an awareness for other farmers’ to adopt the technology. Which will improve the socio economic status of the farmers.