Papaya is a dominant fruit in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It belongs to the family of Caricaceae. Have you ever wondered from where the papaya fruit originated? The papaya fruit is native to tropical America and was first grown in Mexico. The Portuguese introduced Papaya to India. It was called the “fruit of the angels” by Christopher Columbus. Papaya is also known as “Pawpaw”.

The taste of papaya is often compared to melons, but less sweet. The real taste of papaya can only be realized when it is fully ripe. The colour of papaya is green when it is raw. When it is half ripe, it is half green and half yellow. Once it is fully ripe, the colour of papaya can vary from yellow to orange. This fruit has a wide variety of health benefits. The taste of papaya and its wide range of health benefits make it a very popular and relished fruit. It is available almost throughout the year. People usually include this fruit in their breakfast and fruit salads.

Papaya is an ideal fruit that can be easily grown in our kitchen gardens and backyards of our homes. It grows quickly and starts bearing fruits within 8 to 10 months after it is planted. It is a refreshing and delicious fruit. It is full of vitamins. It can be eaten as a fruit with salt and pepper and also with sugar or lime. Unripe fruit can be eaten as a vegetable. We can also make pickles out of it.

Papaya fruit contains an enzyme called papain and it is used in cosmetics, manufacture of chewing gums, pharmaceutical industries, in adhesives etc. It is believed that almost 40 types of papaya are cultivated throughout the world. They are pear-shaped fruits that can grow up to 20 inches long. Papaya has hundreds of soft, black gelatinous seeds. Each piece can weigh between 0.49 kg to 1 kg. The ones commonly found in the market are usually about 7 inches long and weigh about 1 kg. It can be eaten raw as a fruit, made into a smoothie or even a milkshake. It contains natural fiber, carotene, vitamin C and other essential minerals. The entire papaya plant including the root, bark, peel, seeds, and pulp are also known to have medicinal properties.

In India, papaya is grown in many parts of the country. Major producers of this fruit include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala in the south, West Bengal, Assam and Orissa in the east Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in the west and central India. India is the largest producer of papaya in the world. It produces about 3 million tonnes of papaya which is half of the total world production of papaya. India also exports papaya to its neighboring countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and the Netherlands.

Some basic facts about Papaya:

• Botanical name: Carica papaya.
• Family: Caricaceae
• Common name: Papaya is popularly called as papaw or pawpaw. It is also sometimes referred to as “tree melon”
• Sanskrit name: Erand karkati
• Parts used: The fruit, leaves, flowers, stems, roots, and seeds can all be used for different purposes.
• Origin: It is native to Mexico and northern South America. But now they are grown in almost all tropical areas of the world.
• Interesting Facts: June is considered the national papaya month.

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