https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

This GST Officer Teaching Bareilly Farmers Profit Of Dragon Fruit

IRS officer Vishal Singh began the cultivation of dragon fruit in his hometown, Bareilly. The produce comes with less labour and high revenue. The farmers are benefitting immensely from the produce.
Indian Masterminds Stories

For others, a GST officer would mean another tax collector, but for the farmers in Bareilly, he is a God Send Teacher who is training them to multiply profit by one-time labour. Don’t believe us? Read on.

Vishal Singh, an IRS officer with an agricultural background, who had witnessed the hardship of farmers affected by natural disasters around harvest time, which occurs practically every year, has decided to script a new route to a bumper crop.

Watching farmers toil three times a year, in heat, cold, and rain, only to enjoy the rewards once, Mr. Singh vowed to help them.

He has introduced a crop in his hometown in Uttar Pradesh that he promises will turn into Bareilly ki Barfi as it requires only one-time labour and yet provides benefits throughout the year.

DRAGON FRUIT FARMING

Mr. Singh came up with the concept of Dragon Fruit farming in his hometown after analysing all aspects that could aid farmers and give them a sustainable crop and income.

Dragon fruit is one crop that is unaffected by seasonal variations. It necessitates one-time labour and competent management thereon can bring in great revenue, said the IRS officer.

“Currently, 95% of India’s stock is imported, with only 5% cultivated in the country. Since India’s weather is favourable for the crop, I figured why not go ahead with it?” Mr. Singh shared in an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds.

HOW IT STARTED

Mr. Singh and his brother began dragon fruit farming near the Atamanda railway station in 2021. They only had 48 plants. After a year of hard work, the plants began to bear fruit. Initially, the yield was low. There was gradual progress and eventually, it turned out to be one self-sustaining venture within just two years.

Currently posted as the Additional Commissioner in GST and Customs, Mr. Singh said that in the initial year of cultivation, farmers invest roughly Rs 6 lakh. “Once the farm is established and well-maintained, the harvest turns profitable and starts generating revenue of Rs 10 lakh per year. 

“Less than one lakh is spent annually on crop maintenance, leaving the farmers with a profit of nine lakhs,” explained Mr. Singh, who practised the cultivation himself before promoting it.

SMART THINKING

Dragon fruit cultivation is entirely organic. It requires specialised micronutrients. “You might be thinking, see there’s a twist in the tale,” said Mr. Singh as he allayed all concerns.

The micronutrients are available in the market for Rs. 600 per litre but the farmer-at-heart officer was bent on creating a profitable future, so he devised a way to minimise this expense.

The IRS officer examined traditional farming methods and devised a unique way of preparing micronutrients at zero cost.

CHARTING SUCCESS

The micronutrients are prepared by combining and storing pulses, oilseeds, copper, and iron in a waste decomposer for 21 days. These are then mixed with water while irrigating the plants.

Additionally, marigold plants are planted around each dragon fruit plant. As a result, plant-parasitic nematodes do not form in the root of dragon fruit, and the plant grows normally. In addition, maize plants are put around to protect the crop from sunburn.

“The produce has been great for the last two years and several farmers are into commercial farming!” shared Mr. Singh.

LEARNING TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Mr. Singh’s success did not come overnight. He first became a pupil to later became a teacher. He was one of the 12 farmers who visited Vietnam’s Southern Horticulture and Food Research Institute (SOHFRI), where he studied advanced dragon fruit-producing techniques. 

He identified strategies that could boost crop cultivation and aid in generating higher produce and revenue. “During the one-day course, we visited numerous farms and learned about smart techniques, post-harvest practices, and techniques for enhancing productivity, etc,” he told Indian Masterminds.

ONE STEP FURTHER

Mr. Singh is now working hard to convince the government to recognise dragon fruit farming and enhance farmers’ loans under KCC (Kisan Credit Card low-cost borrowing scheme for farmers) of upto Rs. 6 lakhs an acre so that they can invest in dragon fruit farming without feeling burdened.

Mr. Singh turned out to be the magician with the secret wand for farmers just when climate change and inflation were taking away all their hope. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Union Bank of India UBI
Union Bank Board Clears ₹6,000 Cr Capital Raise; ₹3,000 Cr via Equity, ₹3,000 Cr via Bonds
IRCTC
Leadership Update: Mukesh Saini Appointed as Chief Regional Officer at IRCTC Jaipur
THDC-resized
Energy Innovation Boost: THDCIL Signs Landmark Agreement with Gujarat for 184 MW from Tehri Pumped Storage Plant
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
Centre Flags IAS Officer’s OBC Certificate, Maharashtra Government Ordered to Probe
Bihar Government-resized-IM
From Schemes to Services: Bihar Nears 100% Completion of Ambedkar Seva Abhiyan with 92% Camps Held
nitish cabinet
Bihar Sees Investment Momentum: 75% of Business Connect MoUs Begin Implementation, ₹82,584 Cr in Play
CM Vishnu Deo Sai - resized
Tech-Powered Governance: From Village to Cloud, Chhattisgarh Leads Digital Transformation Under CM Vishnu Deo Sai
Indian Bureaucracy News Latest
IAS Ramesh Verma Takes Charge of DSSSB, IAS Priyank Kishore Moves to Gujarat Cadre
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Retired Officers Lead 7-Day Mission to Revive Betwa River with 55 Check Dams | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Union Bank of India UBI
Union Bank Board Clears ₹6,000 Cr Capital Raise; ₹3,000 Cr via Equity, ₹3,000 Cr via Bonds
IRCTC
Leadership Update: Mukesh Saini Appointed as Chief Regional Officer at IRCTC Jaipur
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT