By Mahammad Ashlam

Bhawanipatna, Aug 10: When the peasant community is turning its face from the farming sector, it is heartening that a 22-year-old youth has turned a game changer in Kalahandi district which was earlier the epitome of poverty and starvation death.

Meet Baisnaba Sahu, a youth of nondescript Bankel village under Madanpur-Rampur block in the district. He is earning Rs 300 per kg by selling the dragon fruit which is unknown to the region.

Baisnaba was introduced to dragon fruit cultivation during his visit to Dwaraka in Gujarat in 2018. He was attracted to the cultivation and took training for one and half years. On return, he took up cultivation of this alien fruit on a 20 decimal land of his own.

“Hope to get the return of Rs 5 to 6 lakh from the cultivation on which I have invested around Rs 3 lakh,” said Baisnaba, the dhoti clad youth.

 His father Gourang Sahu recalled that Baisnaba was on a spiritual trip to Dwaraka two years ago where he got introduced to this alien fruit cultivation. Then he stayed there for around a couple of years for training and came back to start the cultivation in his village.

Now the fruit is selling at Rs 300 per kg in the local market and gaining popularity, said a young villager who is attracted to the cultivation.