Jun 11, 2026
4 min read
Just over a year after investing approximately $5 million in cultivating 1,000 dragon fruit plants, 45-year-old Devon Gilead, better known as the “Bee Man” and the “Grapes Man” of Glasgow Housing Scheme on the East Bank of Berbice, is finally reaping the rewards of his investment and dedication.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with Ignite News, Gilead said dragon fruit was never part of his original farming plans.
“When I started with grapes, dragon fruit was nowhere in the picture,” he explained. “Grapes, apples and vanilla were what I was planting; that was my dream, but due to the disaster, I had to dream again, so I started with dragon fruit,” he said.
The decision proved strategic, as the farmer is now looking beyond simply selling fresh fruit and is focused on creating value-added products.
Among the ventures already in the pipeline are dragon fruit wine and dragon fruit jelly, products he believes will further increase the crop’s profitability while introducing consumers to new locally made delicacies. Gilead said samples of the dragon fruit wine have already received positive reviews, giving him confidence that the product could find a strong market when officially launched.
“Dragon fruit is a high-value fruit. It has health properties; it’s good for diabetes and bone disease. It has a lot of health benefits. Also, the fruit has a longer shelf life. What I’ve realised about dragon fruit is that you can produce a lot of by-products from it. You can make jam, jelly, juice, smoothies, and wine… A lot of people have tasted the dragon fruit wine and they say it’s very good. We’ve got small samples of the wine. It has a wonderful taste.
Whoever tastes it wants to taste it again. A couple of months from now, we’re looking to have this on the market,” he said.
Earlier this year, severe flooding destroyed over half an acre of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers and other crops on Gilead’s farm. Instead of giving up, he turned the loss into an opportunity.
“I ended up taking all the crops and making compost with them,” he recalled.
That compost now plays a crucial role in nourishing his dragon fruit plants. Through support from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Gilead was able to establish composting systems and access farming materials that have strengthened his operation.
“Dragon fruit needs rich organic soil. We use the compost around the roots and cover it with grass to retain moisture during the dry season. We water it and leave it for a couple of weeks,” he explained.
Perhaps most impressive is the innovative approach Gilead and his wife developed to overcome challenges posed by Guyana’s unpredictable weather. Recognising that heavy rainfall was damaging flowers and affecting pollination, the couple began covering dragon fruit blossoms with plastic bags during flowering periods.
“The flowers open at night, and rain can wash away the pollen. If you don’t cover the flower, you end up with smaller dragon fruit. My wife suggested covering the flowers. We tried it, and it worked excellently,” he told this publication with a smile.
The couple later adapted the technique to protect developing fruits from splitting during periods of heavy rainfall.
For Gilead, the greatest reward is not just the harvest itself, but what it represents.
“So all our trials and tribulations… we tested ourselves and we’ve done well with it. I feel very happy to see the work of our labour. We went through a lot of loss and hard work, but you can see the fruits of your labour,” he said proudly.
As he looks ahead, Gilead envisions expanding production and developing value-added products that could create new opportunities within Guyana’s agricultural sector.
He is also helping other farmers enter the dragon fruit industry. He now sells cuttings from the cactus plants to aspiring cultivators, just as he once had to invest heavily to establish his own farm.
When he started, he purchased 1,000 plants at approximately $5,000 each. Interest in dragon fruit cultivation has grown significantly, with farmers reaching out from as far as Parika seeking planting material and advice.
Now that his farm is producing consistently, Gilead has also begun wholesaling dragon fruit, creating another revenue stream while contributing to the expansion of Guyana’s emerging dragon fruit industry.
