Where and How Papaya Is Grown
Andhra Pradesh (Anantapur, Kadapa), Gujarat (Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch), Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh (Dhar, Khargone), Maharashtra (Jalgaon, Dhule, Solapur) and West Bengal are the main growers. Papaya is raised from seed in nurseries, planted on drip and starts fruiting in eight to ten months. Ringspot virus spread by aphids is the main risk, which is why farmers often replant every two years.
- 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
Uses and Value Chain
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.
Quality and Grading
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.
Price Drivers
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.
Planting
June–July or September–October for best fruit set.First harvest
8–10 months after planting.Peak supply
October to March.Papaya by State
Tap a state for its districts, markets, government buying and buyers.
Related: Mango · Banana · Grapes · Pomegranate · Apple · Orange · Papaya · Guava · Litchi · All crops · Soils.in for farmer help
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