By Amar Raj Naharki, Tanahu, Dec. 14: Many people find no idea to utilise their retirement life and while away days doing nothing special. But, Him Lal Shrestha, 54, a retired Indian army man, of Dharampani, Byas Municiaplity-11, has begun dragon fruit farming.

Shrestha in partnership with another local Devendra Chhetri started dragon fruit cultivation in the fallow land in his location some 15 months ago.

"I invested some nine hundred thousand rupees for dragon fruit cultivation seeing two benefits- Pouring sweat in the soil makes your body healthy and also that you get income from farming," he said, "Doing something and making income in retirment adds to your joy."

His interest in dragon fruit farming arose after he learnt ideas about the farming from youtube and also got the point that dragon fruit could be cultivated in land where irrigation facility was not so good.

There was orange garden here in the past, but all the trees had dried some five years ago and that land had remained fallow ever since. As there was less difficulty in dragon fruit farming and there was also high demand for it, I made up to do it, he said.

He said he got dragon fruit sapling also from the farm operated by former minister Lokendra Bist at seven rupees per sampling. I have planted 1600 sapling, he said, a dragon fruit tree will yield fruit for ten years.