Odisha Dragon fruit export: Balangir farmers ship fresh produce to Dubai

After entering international markets last year, dragon fruit from Odisha has once again reached global markets for the second year in a row— Balangir, Odisha to Dubai, UAE. Odisha’s overall Agri-horticulture export landscape is witnessing remarkable growth, with a steady rise in international demand for its produce. This surge is enabling farmer producer companies to secure better price realization for their products. This marks another step forward in Odisha’s efforts to position itself as a key player in the global Agri-horticulture trade.

Across Odisha, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE), Government of Odisha, has been instrumental in promoting the growth and competitiveness of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) through various schemes and initiatives. The Department is working to strengthen FPOs by providing institutional support, market access, and capacity building. This has enabled farmers to aggregate produce, adopt modern and innovative cultivation practices, and access high-value markets, including global export opportunities—aligning local production with international demand and improving farmer incomes across the state.

In a proud moment for Odisha’s Agri & Horti-export landscape, Balangir district—home district of the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister—has successfully exported 330 kg (0.33 MT) of dragon fruit to Dubai. This marks a significant achievement in promoting the export of exotic horticulture produce and sets an inspiring example for the entire state.

The fruit, cultivated in Patnagarh, was sold at ₹300/kg, a steep 20% increase from last year's rate of ₹250/kg. This price jump is not just a market trend—it reflects rising demand, improved quality, and higher incomes for farmers cultivating high-value crops.

The export event witnessed the presence of key officials including Shri Subrat Kumar Panda (Director, Horticulture), Shri Praful Kumar Bhanja (Joint Director, Horticulture), Shri Rahul Ranjan (Manager, AAICLAS), along with officials from the Directorate of Horticulture and representatives from Palladium.

Speaking on the occasion, Subrat Kumar Panda, director, Horticulture, said, “This is a proud moment for Balangir district and Odisha. The consecutive successful export of Dragon fruit once again this year reflects the state’s growing capabilities in market-driven high-value Horticulture. It signals Odisha’s readiness to tap into competitive global markets.”

Farmers in Balangir are now actively exploring cultivation of exotic and high-value crops like dragon fruit, kiwi, and others—reflecting a broader shift towards modern agricultural practices and global market integration.

This milestone has been made possible through the continued leadership of the DA&FE, under the PSFPO (Promotion and Stabilization of Farmer Producer Organizations) project. The project is being implemented by Palladium, backed by the Gates Foundation, with a focus on strengthening FPOs through capacity building, market integration, and export facilitation. As part of this effort, marketing support for the export was provided in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), enabling farmers to access international markets and realise better prices.