In Rajasthan's Pali district, the Rohat belt has long been known for one thing, hard, salt laced soil and groundwater so saline that even everyday crops struggle to survive there. Now that same harsh land is turning into an opportunity. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Pali, working with a group of progressive farmers from Rohat, has pulled off an experiment that has opened the door to growing the exotic dragon fruit on this barren, salty ground.
Years of saline water have held back farmers in Rohat
Farmers across Rohat and the surrounding parts of Pali district have grappled with the same problem for years, high salinity in the soil and salt content in the water. That has made it tough for them to decide which crop or fruit could survive these harsh conditions and still turn a profit. To solve exactly that problem, agriculture expert Dr. Arvind Singh Tetarwal designed a special project that is now being described as a potential game changer for farmers in the region.
Dragon fruit delivers strong results even in salty soil
According to Dr. Tetarwal, the parts of Rohat and Pali where the water is saline and the soil carries heavy salinity have produced remarkably encouraging results with dragon fruit cultivation. The fruit has a striking ability to withstand low water availability and a saline environment. That is exactly why it is emerging as a promising new option, an emerging fruit, for badly affected areas like Rohat.
A push to move beyond traditional crops
Dr. Tetarwal has a clear message for farmers in the region: those who have stuck to the same traditional crops or fruits for years now need to rethink their approach and adopt new methods. If farmers bring high value, new age fruits such as dragon fruit into their fields, their income could rise sharply, and the chances of doubling their earnings would improve significantly. He describes dragon fruit as a fruit capable of strengthening the economic condition of farmers in Rohat and Pali and potentially changing their fortunes altogether.
The project's goal: helping farmers pick the right fruit using science
Farmers are usually reluctant to plant new orchards because of saline water. The core purpose of Dr. Tetarwal's project is to make it easier for farmers to understand, based on scientific data, exactly which fruit suits their particular soil and water conditions best. Under this project, farmers will receive technical guidance and encouragement for dragon fruit cultivation, an effort expected to spark a fresh agricultural shift across the Rohat and Pali region.
