Berhampur: Two years ago, a five-acre patch of land in Betaketa, a remote village in the Maoist-infested Phiringia block of Kandhamal district, was lying barren due to lack of irrigation. Around the same time, the district administration intervened, and now, the landscape is full of dragon fruits—a high-value crop that has transformed the lives of farmer and landowner Kaindra Kanhar and seven others.
In less than two years after planting the first crop without any initial investment, 56-year-old Kaindra and his brothers witnessed a significant turnaround. “We have harvested around eight quintals of dragon fruits so far, and the harvest will continue until Nov this year and for several more years,” said Kaindra. In addition to selling in various towns within the district, Kaindra and his brothers have supplied around one quintal of dragon fruits to the Bhubaneswar market at a rate of Rs 200 per kg. “We will continue to supply this high-value crop to the market until Nov and beyond,” said Belar Kanhar, another farmer.
To support farmers, the district administration has invested around Rs 40 lakh in various initiatives. These include providing high-yielding plants, establishing a lift irrigation point, and installing fencing, among other measures. “The dra project was implemented by the Special Central Assistance, Mission Jeevika of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency Phulbani, and the MGNREGA in a convergence mode,” said an official.

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