Thursday, 07 October 2010, Nuch Sarita, VOA Khmer
Hard work and business acumen has meant dragon fruit success for an entrepreneur, even in the midst of a global downturn.
Kim Chheng, 31, started his dragon fruit farm 10 years ago on 10 hectares of land in Banteay Srey district, Siem Reap province.
“It is very easy to plant the dragon fruit tree,” he said. “If you get the plant when it is freshly cut, you need to leave it in a dry location for a couple of days for the wound to heal, then you just put it in the soil and you need to put the pole for the plant to climb, then water it and add fertilizer. In eight months to 11 months, you’ll have fruit.”
Some of his dragon fruits are a Taiwanese species that have red flesh, which customers like because they believe it contains a natural antioxidant known to fight diabetes and lower blood pressure.
Others have white, red or yellow flesh. He uses organic fertilizer from cow compost and blended grasses.
