This fruit costs Rs 300 and above in market, another 'eyewash' Malayalis fall for

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalis usually fall for advertisements and branding and especially when it comes to food and health. People rarely check the quality and pay any price for a product that is labelled as good. This business strategy is used by many people to fill their pockets. We are talking about dragon fruit, a Mexican fruit known as a storehouse of vitamins, and is one of the most traded items on the streets in our country.

In Kerala, there are people who are cultivating dragon fruit, even at home. But all that is in a very small number. A good part of the fruits sold in our country are old type fruits, aiming at profit. The fruit sold on the street is mainly imported from Vietnam. People working in this sector say that the goods imported from Chennai are delivered to Kerala.

A box of 10 kg costs just Rs 600. It can contain up to 9.4 kg of dragon fruit by packed weight. After buying a box for Rs 600, many people charge 250-300 per kg and upwards. As they are meant for export on an industrial basis, they arrive after chemical treatment. This is not good for health and can even cause serious health problems.

Benefits of dragon fruit

This vitamin-rich fruit is low in calories. Therefore, it is very helpful in weight control. Since it contains fiber, it is relief for problems including constipation. Along with this, as it is less sweet, it can be eaten by diabetic patients. It is also very good for immunity as it contains a lot of vitamin C.