Founded in 2018 and based in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Chilaua Dragon Fruit Farm & Nursery is a farming venture producing a total of 2,500 to 3,000 kilograms of dragon fruit per acre annually.
In today’s fast-paced world, farming may not be the first choice for most Indian graduates. The default path? A corporate career right after college. But Anshul Mishra, a computer science engineer from SRM University, Chennai, decided to go against the grain.
Born and raised in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Anshul always felt a deep connection with his roots. While his grandfather was a small-scale farmer and his father chose a teaching career, Anshul found himself drawn back to the land after spending three years in the engineering grind.
“I realized a corporate job wasn’t for me. After several heart-to-heart discussions with my father, I made up my mind to return home and build something of my own — in farming,” he shared in a conversation with Startup Pedia.
The Birth of a Farming Dream
In 2018, while still in his third year of BTech, Anshul began researching online to identify crops that were both profitable and required minimal daily attention. One fruit stood out — dragon fruit. Its rarity in India and rich nutritional profile (Vitamin C, folate, and iron) sparked his interest.
He discovered that nearly 95% of dragon fruit consumed in India is imported. Seeing a market gap, he was determined to contribute to the domestic supply.
Anshul connected with a seasoned dragon fruit grower from Maharashtra and learned everything from scratch — from farming techniques to avoiding common pitfalls. He purchased 1,600 dragon fruit plants at Rs 50 each, spending Rs 80,000 on plants alone — funded partly by his savings and the rest by his father.
Setting Up the Farm
To get started, Anshul hired laborers and built 420 cement poles (costing Rs 200 each) over one acre — essential for the vertical growth of dragon fruit. Back then, the total setup, including labor, poles, and other costs, came to around Rs 2.5 lakh.
“The first 1.5 years were tough — 90% of the work is done in the beginning. After that, you just wait. I stayed in constant touch with the Maharashtra expert for guidance during the early days,” Anshul said.
The Harvest and Growth
The plants finally bore fruit in 2020. Anshul didn’t rush to sell — instead, he distributed free samples to doctors, teachers, and politicians in nearby towns like Hardoi, Bareilly, and Farrukhabad, encouraging feedback before securing his first bulk orders.
What started with one acre in 2018 has now expanded to 5 acres under the banner Chilaua Dragon Fruit Farm & Nursery. The farm yields 2,500–3,000 kg per acre annually.
In FY25, the venture generated Rs 30 lakh revenue:
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Rs 20 lakh from selling dragon fruit plants
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Rs 10 lakh from fruit sales
With a solid take-home profit of Rs 22 lakh, Anshul’s journey is a stellar example of how passion, patience, and purpose can drive entrepreneurial success.
He has also sold over 1.3 lakh dragon fruit plants to farmers across India.
