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Dragon Fruit: It is the fruit of a species of wild cactus indigenous to South and Central America, where it is called pitaya or pitahaya.
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Largest Producer: The world’s largest producer and exporter of dragon fruit is, Vietnam. The Vietnamese call it “thanh long” which translates to “dragon’s eyes”.
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Benefits of Dragon Fruit:
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Dragon fruit is considered to be one of the tropical superfoods due to its nutrient richness.
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It is rich in nutrients and low in calories.
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It is believed to help in the control of chronic illnesses, improves the health of the alimentary canal, and boosting the body’s immunity.
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Dragon Fruit in India:
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Being a cactus family it requires long days for flowering. Dragon fruit cultivation is well suited in the agro-climatic regions of Southern, Western, and North-Eastern India that are dry, and frost-free.
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It was brought to India in the 1990s and is grown in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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Why in news? Gujarat government has applied for a patent to change the nomenclature of dragon fruit to ‘Kamalam’. The word ‘Kamalam’ is a Sanskrit word and the shape of the dragon fruit resembles the lotus flower.