About Papaya
India is the world's largest papaya producer. The fruit bears within a year and supplies markets year-round; its latex gives the enzyme papain.
Where Papaya Is Grown in Maharashtra
The main papaya districts of Maharashtra are Jalgaon, Dhule, Solapur. Maharashtra is India's leading producer of onion, grapes, pomegranate, banana (with Gujarat and Andhra), tur, soybean, cotton and sugarcane, and of Alphonso mango and Nagpur orange. Its mandis at Lasalgaon, Latur, Sangli, Solapur and Vashi are among the best known in India.
Season in Maharashtra
Year-round. Exact arrival dates in Maharashtra depend on local sowing and the monsoon, so check current arrivals before planning purchases.
How Papaya Is Sold in Maharashtra
Farm produce is sold through regulated APMC market yards under the state's agricultural produce marketing law, run by the state agricultural marketing board, with many yards linked to eNAM. Maharashtra has been a leader in FPO-led marketing and in allowing direct sales outside APMC yards for fruits and vegetables.
Key markets for Papaya in Maharashtra
Other major markets in Maharashtra
- Lasalgaon and PimpalgaonOnion, tomato, grapesAboutExplore
- LaturTur, soybeanAboutExplore
- SangliTurmeric, raisinsAboutExplore
- SolapurOnion, pomegranate, jowarAboutExplore
- Kalamna, NagpurOrangeAboutExplore
- JalgaonBanana, cottonAboutExplore
State Agencies in Maharashtra
Papaya has no minimum support price, so it is bought almost entirely by private traders, processors and exporters. State marketing bodies regulate the markets and support farmer producer organisations.
- Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB)Regulated markets, export facilitiesAboutExplore
- MahaFPC (Maharashtra Farmer Producer Companies)FPO procurement and marketingAboutExplore
Quality and Price Notes
Most Indian papaya is eaten fresh as a breakfast and hospital fruit, and the green fruit is cooked as a vegetable in the east and south. Processors use ripe papaya for pulp, tutti-frutti (candied papaya cubes used in cakes, ice cream and paan) and jams. The milky latex tapped from green fruit is dried into crude papain, an enzyme used for tenderising meat, brewing, leather and medicine; India is one of the world's main papain suppliers.
Traders want medium-sized fruit (1–2 kg for Red Lady), firm, with a first tinge of yellow at harvest so it ripens evenly on the way. Fruit is wrapped in paper or packed in plastic crates with straw to prevent bruising. Ringspot-affected fruit with green rings on the skin is discounted.
Papaya prices fall in winter when supply is heavy from Andhra and Maharashtra, and rise in summer and the monsoon. Virus outbreaks that force farmers to uproot whole orchards can cause sudden shortages in a region.
Buyers, Processors and Exporters
These companies and bodies buy, process or export papaya across India, including from Maharashtra. Tap a name for details.
- INI Farms Pvt LtdExporter of bananas, pomegranates and grapes to about 35 countriesAboutExplore
- Freshtrop Fruits LtdAhmedabad · listed; grapes and pomegranate exporterAboutExplore
- KB Exports Pvt LtdMumbai · fresh fruit and vegetable exporter (KayBee)AboutExplore
- Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company LtdNashik · grapes, fruits and processingAboutExplore
- APEDAExport registration and residue control (GrapeNet, AnarNet, MangoNet)AboutExplore
Research and Advice in Maharashtra
New varieties, crop advice and seed for papaya growers in Maharashtra come from the state agricultural universities below and from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in each district.
- Mahatma Phule Krishi VidyapeethRahuriAboutExplore
- Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi VidyapeethAkolaAboutExplore
- Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi VidyapeethParbhaniAboutExplore
- Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi VidyapeethDapoliAboutExplore
Papaya in Other States
Andhra Pradesh · Gujarat · Karnataka · Madhya Pradesh · West Bengal
Related: Papaya – all India · Maharashtra · All crops
Names are listed for reference only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation. The About and Explore buttons open Google in a new tab; results there are generated by Google and third parties, not by this site. Prices, MSP, export rules and schemes change often. Nothing here is financial, legal or purchasing advice. Full disclaimer