Dragon Fruit

Water

Rain falls about 2 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

Needs about 630 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 530 mm it can use in a normal year, and 290 mm in a dry year.

Temperature

Grows best at 18–28 °C on average, and survives 12–34 °C.

Here, in its growing months (day / night):

• Jun 38 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
• Jul 33 °C / 25 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 31 °C / 24 °C
• Sep 32 °C / 24 °C
• Oct 34 °C / 20 °C
• Nov 31 °C / 15 °C
• Dec 28 °C / 12 °C
• Jan 26 °C / 11 °C
• Feb 30 °C / 14 °C
• Mar 35 °C / 19 °C
• Apr 39 °C / 23 °C (outside its best range)
• May 41 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
• Jun 38 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)

Months in orange are outside its best range.

Days in May get hotter than it likes. Young plants need shade and water then.

Soil

Soil for Dragon Fruit: 8 out of 10 (good).

Not in the score: nitrogen and boron.

• The pH here suits it.
• Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of organic carbon.
• Most fields here are short of iron.

Likes pH 5.3–6.7.

Money

Yield: about 23 quintals an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).

A new planting gives its first real harvest after about 2 years. The money here is for plants already bearing.

On rain alone it gets about 84% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 84% of this yield.

No mandi or support price for this crop yet.