Papaya Production in India

With some 54 Lakh tonnes of Papaya production every year; India is world’s largest producer of this fruit. The largest Papaya producing states include Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra. Three notable varieties of Papaya include Pusa Delicious, Pusa Dwarf and Pusa Nanha.  However, India’s share in Papaya exports is minimal. Further, the low productivity is one of the major issues in our country, mainly due to traditional cultivation practices of local varieties. Other issues related to Papaya cultivation include pests such as ‘mealy bug’, lack of knowhow on post harvesting; lack of correct marketing strategies, non-availability of HYV seeds etc.