Andhra farmer turns drought-hit land into 180-acre fruit farm. Grows apples, dates and dragon fruit; earns Rs 2 crore annually

Anantapur is known for punishing summers, erratic rainfall and recurring water shortages hardly the setting one would associate with orchards full of exotic fruit. Yet farmer Mekala Shiva Shankar Reddy has spent decades challenging that assumption. Starting with just five acres, the farmer from Prasannayapalli village in Andhra Pradesh has expanded his operation to around 180 acres, growing everything from dates and dragon fruit to grapes and other high-value crops. According to 30Stades, his diversified farming operation now generates an annual turnover of around Rs 2 crore.

Water scarcity changed the way of farming

Reddy began farming in 1985. In a district where every drop of water matters, he realised early that conventional irrigation would limit what he could grow. During the 1990s, he adopted drip irrigation, supplying water directly around plant roots instead of flooding fields. He later introduced fertigation, which delivers nutrients through irrigation water. The importance of that saving becomes clearer when viewed against Anantapur's history. The News Minute previously documented farmers in the drought-hit district relying on purchased water tankers after borewells failed and plantations began drying up.

From traditional farming to exotic fruits

Rather than depending on one crop, Reddy turned his farm into what amounts to an open-air agricultural laboratory. Deccan Chronicle reports that he has experimented with high-value and unconventional crops over several decades, building a model around water conservation, crop diversification and lower input costs. Today, his farm reportedly features dozens of varieties, including dates, dragon fruit, grapes, persimmon, lychee and macadamia. He was also an early adopter of quinoa in the region.

Apples are now challenging Anantapur's heat

Another Anantapur farmer, K V Ramana Reddy, recently demonstrated that low-chill apples could fruit commercially despite temperatures reaching around 45°C. The Andhra Pradesh government is now evaluating whether cultivation can be expanded after early crops fetched Rs 120 to Rs 170 per kg. Around 15 acres across three mandals were already under experimental apple cultivation when PTI reported on the initiative in April 2026.

From five acres to a farming model

Shiva Shankar Reddy's influence also extends beyond his own fields. The Economic Times reports that people who worked with him or learnt his methods have gone on to establish farms of their own. His reported Rs 2 crore turnover shouldn't be read as a promise that exotic crops will deliver similar returns everywhere. Soil, water, climate, investment and market access all matter.