Exotic fruits, exceptional returns Premium

Deccan Exotics farm in Aliabad, Hyderabad, pioneers in exotic fruit cultivation, including dragon fruit and avocado, transforming agriculture.

At the Deccan Exotics farm on a Tuesday morning, Chandrashekar Rao Madhavaram beckons visitors to sample a fruit that resembles the Indian Jamun but surprises the palate with a hint of sweetness. The 42-year-old builder-turned-agriculturist explains that the freshly plucked fruit is Jabuticaba, native to Brazil and Bolivia, that has found a new home in the quaint village of Aliabad in Sangareddy district, about 52 kilometres from the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The full scope of this 30-acre farm is revealed only when one steps through the gates — it is an agricultural marvel, and a centre for research and development in exotic fruit plants. It is the brainchild of his younger brother, Srinivas Rao, an MD in General Medicine, who has poured his heart into growing 25 varieties of exotic fruits.

Chandrashekar Rao, who holds a B.Tech degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA, reflects on their journey, inspired by their father, Prasad Rao. “Our father’s deep interest in farming drove us to explore agriculture. However, we wanted to carve a niche by focusing on exotic fruit crops,” he says.

Established in 2017, the farm is more than just a place to grow crops; it’s a centre for innovation. In recent years, it has transformed into a hub for cultivation and propagation of exotic fruits like dragon fruit and avocados. In 2018, the two brothers registered a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) called Deccan Exotics Pvt. Ltd., bringing together 10 members to advance their agricultural pursuits.

Srinivas Rao’s fascination with dragon fruit began in 2016, after his first taste of the tropical delight. Determined to introduce it to Telangana, he embarked on a journey, visiting 13 countries including Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines to extensively study the fruit. Despite initial setbacks due to a lack of research on its cultivation, his persistence paid off. Today, their farm grows over 50 varieties of dragon fruit, including seven commercial types, making it India’s largest collection. Among those, the ‘Deccan Pink’, developed by their FPO, stands out for its resilience to harsh weather and its productivity, yielding three times more fruit than other varieties.

The impact of their work is evident: nearly 2,000 farmers across 500 acres in Telangana now cultivate dragon fruit, with a focus on the Siam Red variety, which thrives in local conditions. The FPO has trained around 5,000 farmers from 25 States, equipping them with the skills to diversify their crops and improve their livelihood. During peak season, the farm supplies over two lakh saplings, says Srinivas Rao.

Buoyed by their success with dragon fruit, the duo have set their sight on another crop in high demand — avocado. In 2022, they partnered with IG International, one of India’s top fresh fruit importers, to create IG Deccan Pvt. Ltd. This joint venture aims to plant 5 million avocado trees over the next five years, with saplings primarily imported from Israel. To ensure the best genetic material and technology, IG Deccan has teamed up with Haskelberg, Israel, and joined the Green Motion platform in collaboration with Eurosemillas, expanding the varieties and rootstocks available to farmers.