India exports first consignment of Dragon Fruit

In a first, India has exported the fibre and mineral-rich exotic Dragon Fruit, the government said Saturday. The first consignment was shipped to Dubai.

“A consignment of Dragon Fruit for exports was sourced from the farmers of Tadasar village, Sangli district, Maharashtra and it was processed and packed at APEDA recognized exporter – M/s Kay Bee,” the commerce and industry ministry said in a statement.

Dragon Fruit, also referred as Kamalam, is grown in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, the US and Vietnam. Its production commenced in India in early 1990s, the government said.


“Dragon fruit goes to Dubai: In a major boost to export of exotic fruits, a consignment of the fibre & mineral rich Dragon Fruit (Kamalam) sourced from farmers of Sangli, Maharashtra has been exported to Dubai,” commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said in a tweet.

At present, dragon fruit is grown mostly in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The fruit contains fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It can help in repairing the cell damage caused by oxidative stress and reduce inflammation, and also improving the digestive system. Since the fruit has spikes and petals resembling lotus, it is also referred as ‘Kamalam’.

APEDA or Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority promotes exports of agricultural and processed food products by providing assistance to the exporters under various components such as infrastructure development, quality development and market development.