Dragon Fruit

Water

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

Needs about 610 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 540 mm it can use in a normal year, and 460 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 34 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 33 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Sep 33 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Oct 32 °C / 23 °C
• Nov 29 °C / 15 °C
• Dec 25 °C / 11 °C (outside its best range)
• Jan 23 °C / 9 °C (outside its best range)
• Feb 28 °C / 13 °C
• Mar 34 °C / 18 °C
• Apr 40 °C / 23 °C (outside its best range)
• May 40 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Jun 38 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)

Months in orange are outside its best range.

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

Soil

Soil for Dragon Fruit: 9 out of 10 (good).

• The pH here suits it.
• Many fields here are short of zinc, which it needs a lot.
• Many fields here are short of boron, which it needs a lot.

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 90% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 90% of this yield.

No mandi or support price for this crop yet.