The Union Ministry of Agriculture in India has announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for dragon fruit at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) in Bengaluru. Funded under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme, the CoE will focus on developing high-performance varieties of dragon fruit with improved yield, nutrient use efficiency, and nutritional quality. It will also standardize propagation techniques, develop post-harvest handling and storage protocols, and promote export of the fruit. Additionally, the ministry has sanctioned the establishment of CoEs for mango, vegetables, flowers in Jajpur, Odisha, and Ponda, Goa.